Dvorovoi
by bellasiennanemo
Summary: Beverly takes on guardianship of a cousin she didn't know she had. Soon after, strange things begin to happen and her life is completely turned round.
1. Chapter 1

**Dvorovoi Part One**

**By ****Karen Page**

There is an NC-17 version available on my website. This is the edited version.

Chapter One

"Come in," Jean-Luc called. He looked up to see his chief medical officer walking towards him through his ready room doors. From the look on her face, Jean-Luc could clearly see that something was bothering her.

"I have some interesting news, Jean-Luc," she said taking a seat on the chair in front of his desk.

"Really?" he replied. "How interesting?"

"Very," Beverly sighed. "It seems that I have a family member that I didn't know about."

"Oh?" Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows slightly. "I thought you were the last Howard woman left."

"So did I," Beverly replied. "Turns out I was mistaken. My grandmother had a sister called Sarah. She and Nana stopped speaking when I was very young and Nana never spoke of her. But according to this, Sarah had a daughter called Anna. Our family is full of feminists. We are all supposed to keep the Howard name, but I broke the rules," Beverly laughed ruefully. "Nana didn't speak to me for a week! Anyway what I'm trying to say is that Anna had a daughter too. She is the only other Howard woman alive and she is coming to stay here with me!"

"With you?" Jean-Luc asked. "I don't understand."

"It's very complicated, but she is only nineteen years old. Anna had her quite late in life. Anna and Sarah died some years ago in an explosion at the colony where they lived and …" Beverly looked down at her pad. "A family friend who has brought her up since then took in Bailey. Unfortunately, this family friend died three months ago and because Bailey is under twenty, she has to have a guardian. Those are the new regulations. As the only surviving family member, they have asked me if I would be willing to be her guardian."

Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows. "Are you willing to do this?" he asked.

"How hard can it be?" Beverly asked. "She's already grown up. She can take care of herself, I just have to be nearby until she is twenty-one. She'll have her own quarters. Her own life."

"What is she going to do here?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"And you have already agreed to this, haven't you," Jean-Luc asked, raising an eyebrow.

Beverly nodded slowly. "It's okay, isn't it? I can hardly say no. She is family."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," Jean-Luc replied with a smile.

Beverly laughed, shaking her head. "I've done it before."

"When does she arrive?"

"Tomorrow sometime. I get the impression that she doesn't want to be here," Beverly replied.

"What makes you say that?" Jean-Luc asked, taking a sip of his earl grey tea.

"I sent her a message this morning to see what her travel plans were. She just sent a short message saying she gets here when she gets here!" Beverly rolled her eyes. "It might be hard for the first few weeks, but hopefully she'll settle in and begin to like it here."

"I hope so too, for your sake," Jean-Luc smiled at her.

Beverly smiled and got to her feet and headed towards the door. "I just hope to God she isn't a redhead," she said.

"Why not?" Jean-Luc asked, mystified.

"Because the redheads in my family are obnoxious little tearaways. I am speaking from experience and from what Nana told me," she laughed.

"Don't tell me you were an obnoxious tearaway," Jean-Luc laughed. "I bet you were awful as a teenager."

Beverly laughed. "I was so bad. But I got over it."

"Glad to hear," Jean-Luc laughed.

"Well I had better go and make the arrangements for her. I'll see you later," Beverly said before she left.

The next morning, Beverly met Jean-Luc as usual in his quarters for breakfast. She was off duty in preparation for the arrival of Bailey and looked a little flustered as she took her usual seat opposite him.

"Well it's the big day today," Jean-Luc said to gauge Beverly's reaction.

Beverly sighed. "I just hope she likes me," she said as she buttered a croissant.

"Of course she will like you," he replied softly. "Everyone likes you Beverly," he added as an afterthought.

"Will you come with me to meet her?" Beverly asked hopefully.

"Don't tell me you are nervous!" Jean-Luc couldn't help but laugh at her. He laughed harder when she glared at him, daring him to carry on.

Beverly rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her mug of steaming coffee. "Jean-Luc, if you had known me when I was nineteen years old, you would realise just what I am dreading."

"I met you when you were twenty-five, that's not much difference," he replied.

"It does make a difference, believe me," Beverly replied. "I was in medical school and the academy then. I had changed drastically over the past five years. If only Nana were alive, she would have told you what I was really like."

"Worse than Wesley?" he asked.

Beverly laughed. "Wesley got into trouble all the time, but he was also usually the one who sorted out the problem in the end. I, on the other hand, caused problems that couldn't be fixed. Which leads me onto something else I think I ought to tell you."

"Go ahead," he replied raising his eyebrows. Beverly's tone had held a warning.

"Bailey was expelled from university. That's why she is coming here now and not when her guardian died three months ago."

"Expelled? I don't like the sound of this." Jean-Luc really did look worried. "What for?"

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest with you," Beverly replied. "Something to do with causing unwarranted disturbances and injuring one of her professors."

Jean-Luc looked horrified. This young lady was coming on board his ship! "She injured her professor?" he said as calmly as he possibly could.

"Yeah, I was trying to get her school file yesterday but it wouldn't let me read it," Beverly shook her head. "I need to get the official guardianship papers all filled out."

"Yes and please hurry," Jean-Luc smiled at her reassuringly. "I want to know what kind of person I have running about my ship."

Beverly laughed, "I'll sort it all out as soon as I have finished here."

"Bridge to Dr. Crusher," a voice called over the intercom.

"Crusher here, go ahead Will," Beverly replied.

"You're guest has arrived within transporter range," he replied. "She will be beaming on board in five minutes time in transporter room three."

"Acknowledged, Crusher out," Beverly peered at Jean-Luc. "Well it seems I will have to check out her record later. Are you coming?"

"I wouldn't miss this for the universe," Jean-Luc replied, climbing to his feet.

They travelled mainly in silence the whole way to the transporter room. Jean-Luc watched Beverly biting on her lower lip as she took her position up in front of the transporter pad. He stood beside her and ordered the transport to begin.

"Please don't be a redhead," she whispered under her breath.

Jean-Luc chuckled at her side and turned his attention to the young woman beaming aboard the ship in front of him.

Beverly swallowed hard. Bailey was indeed a redhead. She was tall and slender and stunningly beautiful. "Hello Bailey," Beverly said, stepping forward to great her.

Jean-Luc's mind was overcome with memories. Bailey reminded him so much of Beverly when he had first met her over thirty years ago in the bar just outside Starfleet Medical. It was uncanny. She even smiled the same way, a captivating and alluring smile that made many a man weak at the knees. But Bailey's face was softer and unlike Beverly, she had a sprinkling of blonde freckles on her cheekbones and across her nose and her eyes were not blue, they were stunningly violet.

Bailey smiled back. "Hi," she said, stepping down off the pad after picking her bag up and throwing it over her shoulder.

"I'm Beverly, and this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard," Beverly said, making the usual introductions.

"Hello Captain," Bailey said, smiling at him.

"Welcome aboard Bailey," Jean-Luc said, shaking her hand. "I hope you come to like it here."

"I'll give it a go," Bailey replied softly.

"Well, I'll show you to your quarters and let you get settled in," Beverly said, moving towards the door. "I'm sure you're tired after your journey."

"I am totally knackered," Bailey exclaimed as she followed the Captain and Doctor out of the transporter room and down the corridor.

Beverly frowned, wondering what on earth the word knackered meant. "Where do you come from?" she asked.

"Britain," Bailey replied with a wistful smile.

"Oh, that explains it then," Beverly said with a grin.

"Explains what?" Bailey frowned.

"Your accent," Beverly replied as if it were obvious.

"Oh right," Bailey nodded.

"Is that where you were living before coming here?" Jean-Luc asked.

Bailey turned and glanced at him before answering. "No, I was living in America. I was in the academy at San Francisco. I suppose you have heard."

"Heard what?" Beverly and Jean-Luc asked at the same time.

Bailey wished she had kept her mouth shut. "Never mind," she said quickly. She watched Jean-Luc and Beverly exchange looks discreetly. She realised that they both obviously had an idea about what she was referring to.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Bailey took the opportunity to survey her new surroundings. She decided that she quite liked the look of the Enterprise NCC 1701E. If only it were as simple as that.

"Here you are," Beverly said, opening the doors to Bailey's new home.

"Captain Picard, report to the bridge," Will Riker's voice interrupted them.

"Acknowledged. I'll leave you two to get acquainted," Jean-Luc said with a rueful smile. "See you later Beverly?" he asked as an afterthought.

Beverly nodded absently to him as she disappeared with Bailey into the quarters. "Okay, I guess you already know how to work everything," Beverly said brightly.

Bailey dumped her bag on the floor by the bed. "It's just like the academy quarters, only a little more … luxurious."

"Well we have to live here for years," Beverly laughed.

"Yes. Don't we," Bailey snapped, rolling her eyes.

Beverly had been under the impression that Bailey was going to be all right and not too much of a handful, but now she wasn't so sure. "I'm sorry about the circumstances surrounding your coming here. But if you give it a chance, give me a chance, I'm sure you'll get to like it here." Beverly watched Bailey as she wandered around the guest quarters inspecting everything. Beverly felt a sense of foreboding and immense apprehension. Beverly had never reacted that way towards anyone before in her life and it scared her.

She left Bailey alone as quickly as she politely could and went straight to her quarters. She sat down heavily at her computer terminal and prayed to God that Deanna was in her quarters at the convention centre on the planet Halatia.

After a few moments, Deanna's face appeared on the screen in front of Beverly. "Hello Beverly," Deanna said happily. Her smile faded a second later. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You know I told you about Bailey, my second cousin coming to live with me," Beverly asked, coming straight to the point. Deanna nodded so Beverly continued. "She's here," Beverly said and sighed heavily.

"What's so bad about that?" Deanna asked in confusion.

"I … well I have a bad feeling about her," Beverly replied, shaking her head and at a total loss of how to word the sense of dread that she felt.

"How so?" Deanna replied, frowning slightly. She couldn't sense Beverly through the view screen.

"I don't know," Beverly was exasperated. "I can't put my finger on it. I just feel it."

"How long a time did you spend with her?" Deanna asked.

"Not long, maybe five minutes," Beverly replied, running her hands through her hair. "I have never disliked someone on first site before."

"You dislike her?" Deanna was amazed.

"I think so, I'm not sure. I mean I hardly know her," she stared intently at Deanna. "What am I going to do?" she sighed.

"Get to know her," Deanna replied. "Or try to at least. I'll be back on board in three weeks time and I'll be able to help you and Bailey come to terms with the new situation."

Three weeks! Beverly had to wait three weeks for help! "I thought you were back at the weekend? What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Beverly, you have raised a fine son by yourself already. I'm sure you can handle this. I have every confidence in your abilities as a mother. Go talk to her. Show her you care about her and understand her."

"I don't know anything about her," Beverly whined.

"You're scared, aren't you," Deanna teased.

"No, I'm not scared," Beverly said with a small grin.

"Go talk to her," Deanna laughed.

"Yes sir!"

"It's probably just nerves. You'll be fine," Deanna assured her. "Go talk to her. Invite her to a welcome dinner tonight."

"I can't, I've already said I would have dinner with Jean-Luc," Beverly said ruefully.

"Take her with you," Deanna laughed. "That will surprise the Captain!"

"I think I'll ask him first," Beverly said with a wild grin at the thought of her turning up to one of his romantic candlelit dinners with Bailey in tow.

They talked lightly about the conference Deanna was attending before Deanna urged Beverly once again to go and speak with Bailey. Reluctantly, Beverly had agreed and now found herself outside Bailey's quarters.

Taking a deep steadying breath, she signalled her arrival by pressing the door chime. Almost immediately the door whooshed open and Bailey stood in front of her.

"Hi," Bailey said pleasantly.

"Hi," Beverly replied. "I was wondering if you were settled in and if you needed anything."

"Come in Beverly," Bailey said stepping to the side.

Beverly walked through the doors and turned back to face her cousin. The false smile on Beverly's face was beginning to hurt. "Is there anything I…?"

"No, I'm fine," Bailey replied, cutting Beverly off mid-sentence. "But I want to know why you seem to be … scared of me," she added closing the doors. She smiled briefly and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm not scared of you," Beverly replied, raising her eyebrows. "Whatever gave you that idea?" she laughed.

"I'm majoring in psychology," Bailey replied with a grin. "Well I was majoring in psychology. Your body language tells me everything."

Bailey had Beverly there. She could lie through her teeth, but nothing could stop her body from betraying her. "I am a little nervous of… this. But I assure you I'm not scared of you."

"Oh, well that's good to hear," Bailey laughed. "You want a drink?" she asked, heading towards the replicator.

"No thank you," Beverly replied softly. Bailey didn't seem half as bad as she had done this morning. Beverly thought that maybe things wouldn't be so bad between them now after all.

"Well sit down," Bailey instructed with a wild grin.

Beverly hurried to the couch and sat down as she was told. Bailey giggled as she got herself a drink from the replicator and joined Beverly in the lounge area.

"So …" Bailey said gazing expectantly at her companion.

"So?" Beverly replied. "What are you going to do on board here for the next two years?"

"As far as I can tell I have two choices, I suppose I could either wait tables or do some gardening in the arboretum," she said sarcastically.

Beverly rolled her eyes. "There are lots of things to do on board a starship."

"Only if you are a Starfleet officer," Bailey countered.

"That's not true," Beverly replied. "My son Wesley worked on the bridge and even became an acting ensign."

"You have a son?" Bailey asked.

"Yes, he's ten years older than you. He impressed Captain Picard and the Captain eventually made him an acting ensign."

"So all I have to do is impress the Captain to get a better job?" Bailey grinned. "No sweat!"

Beverly laughed. "I was wondering whether you wanted to join me for dinner tonight to welcome you on board."

Bailey nodded. "Sure, why not?" she peered at Beverly for a moment. "So, how are we related?"

Beverly looked up. Bailey was looking at her expectantly, her violet eyes gazing intently at her. It was eerie looking at someone who looked so like herself. "You are my second cousin. Our grandmothers were sisters."

"Oh, you mean Felisa?" Bailey asked, recognition registering on her face.

"Yes, that's right," Beverly replied. "Have you met her?"

"Once," Bailey replied distantly. "Just after mum and dad died. I was supposed to be going to live with her, but she said no after she met me."

Beverly couldn't believe her grandmother would have turned her back on a family member in need of a home. But she didn't question Bailey about it because she could tell that Bailey was uncomfortable with the subject. What surprised Beverly more was that Nana had never mentioned anything about Bailey to her before.

"So …" Bailey said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "How come we never met before?"

Beverly heaved a sigh. "To be honest, I never knew about you. I only found out about you and your mother last week."

"Why?" Bailey asked.

"Nana never spoke of her sister," Beverly replied. "I think she was hurt very badly when she and Sarah fell out."

"I knew about you. I even saw photos of you and your mother. My mother had them on the windowsill in the living room. I didn't know about your son. I think that my mother was in contact with someone on your side of the family, but I don't think my Nan knew about it."

This intrigued Beverly somewhat; she made a mental note of going back and reading through some of her Nana's older journals that night before going to bed.

"So what happened to your grandmother Sarah?" Beverly asked softly.

"She died when I was about four years old. She had some kind of disease. She was too proud to talk to a Doctor about the pain and discomfort so when the time came when she couldn't hide it any longer, the disease had progressed too far and it was too late to save her," Bailey said sadly. "She sounded like someone I would have loved to have known. But it was inevitable. The Howard pride might be good in some cases, but in others it stinks!"

Beverly laughed softly. "Do you know why your grandmother and mine fell out in the first place?" Beverly asked.

Bailey shrugged. "No, do you?" She watched Beverly shake her head negatively. "You don't know much do you?" Bailey laughed.

Beverly laughed with her for a moment before turning serious again. "Can I ask you something?" she said slowly.

"Okay," Bailey replied hesitantly.

"How did your parents die?" Beverly asked the delicate question carefully, noting every change that came over the young redhead's face.

"I don't want to talk about that," Bailey replied adamantly. "Ever."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Beverly said softly.

Bailey sighed softly and looked away. "What time is dinner going to be?" she asked, signalling that their conversation was over and that it was time for Beverly to leave.

"Nineteen hundred hours," Beverly replied as she got to her feet. "Why don't I pick you up at eighteen hundred hours and take you on a quick tour of the ship and introduce you to a few people."

"Sounds good," Bailey replied. "Is this dinner a formal occasion? I need to know what to wear."

"Just dress smart," Beverly replied as she headed out the doors. "We'll be eating in the Captain's quarters."

Bailey didn't get the opportunity to ask why, because the doors closed on Beverly's last words. Bailey stared at the doors for a moment, trying to decide whether she liked her guardian or not. Beverly appeared to be nice, someone she could probably get on with. But appearances could be deceptive. Her last guardian had appeared to be nice too, but had turned out to be horribly strict and controlling.

Bailey had only been nine years old when she stood in the ancient churchyard in Hertfordshire in England burying her parents on a freezing cold November morning. That was when she had first heard that she was going to be staying with her mother's friend, Elizabeth Harper. Elizabeth had a ten-year-old daughter and had raised her alone for the past three years after her husband had left her.

At first Bailey had been happy to hear the news. She liked Elizabeth and Elizabeth's daughter, Lesley. But as soon as Bailey moved into the small cottage, things had not gone well. Lesley hadn't liked the idea of the young clumsy redheaded girl moving in with them and hated the fact that her mother's attention had been divided between her and Bailey. Lesley started to bully Bailey and disobeyed her mother every chance she had got. Elizabeth soon realised that Bailey had caused all the trouble between her and her precious daughter and had resented Bailey. She made no attempts at hiding it and Bailey knew that she wasn't welcome.

Bailey had spent the nine years at home quietly reading and writing in her room in the attic and had done her very best to keep herself to herself. She had grown into a woman devoid of the love and attention that a child needed and now she was grown she was suffering the consequences. Bailey had little or no social skills. She only ever spoke when she was spoken to and had no self-confidence in anything she did. She was paranoid about everything and cried herself to sleep at night.

Bailey sighed and lay back on the chair staring up at the ceiling and wondered whether Beverly could help her. Would Beverly be her knight in shining amour? Would Beverly be able to show her motherly love and affection she desperately needed? With those thoughts, Bailey fell to sleep with a smile on her face.

Beverly arrived in the Captain's ready room ten minutes after leaving Bailey's quarters. She had to ask Jean-Luc's permission for Bailey to join them for dinner that evening.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Jean-Luc asked as he watched Beverly march past him to the replicator and order him a cup of his usual poison. She placed the cup on the desk in front of him and sat next to it.

"I have a favour to ask of you," she said smiling sweetly.

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't asking me," Jean-Luc asked raising an eyebrow. "But are telling me."

"You know me so well Captain," she smiled mischievously.

"What is it?" he replied rolling his eyes in mock surrender.

"It's okay if Bailey joins us for dinner tonight isn't it?" she said quickly. "I can hardly leave her on her own for her first night on board. We have to make her feel welcome."

"I take it you have already asked her," Jean-Luc smiled at her.

Beverly nodded. "You don't mind do you Jean-Luc?" she asked softly.

Whenever Beverly said his name like that, Jean-Luc could not deny her anything. "It's fine," he replied. "I think I want to get to know this young lady. She seems a little mysterious and you know how much I adore mysteries."

"She is mysterious all right," she said. "I have just been speaking with her. I asked her about her parents and she told me she didn't want to talk about them ever."

"Did you ask about the incident at the academy?" he asked.

"No. After I asked her about her parents, she decided it was time for me to go. So I left and came here," Beverly eyes strayed to the computer screen. "Shall I fill in the guardianship paperwork and check out her records?"

"Be my guest," Jean-Luc said motioning to his computer terminal. He was about to climb out of his seat when Beverly promptly plonked herself down on his lap and activated the computer. Jean-Luc didn't know where to put his hands, he eventually put them on the arms of the chair either side of her.

Beverly grinned to herself; she loved teasing him and making him feel uncomfortable. "I just have to complete a few things to prove she has arrived on board," she said before peering over her shoulder at his face. "Then I have full rein on all her records."

"Did you try and access her school record?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Yes, I tried. But because I don't know what school she went to it was fruitless," Beverly shrugged. "It shouldn't be a problem now, there all done!"

"You've finished?" he asked as she leaned over so that he could see the screen too.

"Uh huh," she murmured as she tapped in a few commands and brought up Bailey Howard's records.

Jean-Luc was having difficulty concentrating on the words on the screen with her perched on his lap. "What does it say?" he asked.

Beverly laughed inwardly as she pulled up Bailey's personal record. "Okay here goes," she said glancing at him once to check that she had his undivided attention before beginning. "She was born in London, nineteen years ago on the 21st May 2357. She lived with her parents Anna and David Howard until they passed away when she was nine years old."

"Hang on a minute, didn't you say to me that Bailey's parents and her grandmother Sarah died together in an explosion of some kind?"

"I did say that didn't I," Beverly pulled up the file about Sarah Howard's death. "Bailey told me that Sarah died of some kind of disease…" Beverly's voice trailed off. "Yes, that's what it says here too."

"What about Anna and David Howard?" Jean-Luc asked. This was all very intriguing.

"Hold on," Beverly said as she punched in a few more commands into the computer. "Here it is."

"What does it say?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

"What is it?" Jean-Luc asked trying in vain to see the screen through the thick veil of red hair blocking his view.

"Anna was murdered," Beverly said softly. "David was serving away as Captain of the HMS Morgan. He came back after a five-year deep space mission. It was the day after his welcome home party that he woke up and found his wife dead in bed beside him. She had been strangled. The police conducted their search and found no evidence to suggest that anyone had entered from outside. His fingerprints and DNA were found on the wounds to Anna's body and he was arrested for her murder. He was set bail and returned home to look after Bailey until his trial. The next day Bailey found him hanging from the ceiling when she got up the morning after her mothers death."

"No wonder she didn't want to talk about it," Jean-Luc said after a moment as he allowed the information to sink in.

Beverly slid off his lap. "She also told me that she met Nana and that Nana had said no to becoming her guardian. I know I'm probably biased, but I can't believe that's something my grandmother could ever do. She would never turn her back on family even if she were from Sarah's side of the family. Bailey had nothing to do with the falling out. She wasn't even born at the time. I wasn't even born!"

"Maybe she felt that she was too old to become the mother figure of someone," Jean-Luc suggested as Beverly slumped down on the settee opposite his desk.

"Maybe," Beverly said reluctantly. "So why didn't she contact me? I would have taken her in. Wesley would have liked a sister."

Jean-Luc shrugged. He had no answer for that. The only time he had seen Beverly's grandmother was at her funeral seven years ago. "Maybe Ronin wouldn't allow it."

Beverly visibly cringed at the mention of Ronin's name. She nodded knowing Jean-Luc was right. Ronin was a very influential entity to be involved with.

"Can I look to see what caused her to be expelled from the academy?" he asked interrupting her reveries.

Beverly nodded and circled his desk again to stand just behind him as he brought up the information on the screen.

They both read the information on the screen in silence. Bailey had been in the middle of a few major disturbances where one or more people were usually left needing minor medical attention. One of these people had been one of the professors. His injury had been the final straw and Bailey was asked to pack her bags and ordered to get on the next transport to the Enterprise.

"Disturbances?" Jean-Luc said thoughtfully.

"Why doesn't it say more about them?" Beverly added. "This is all very frustrating."

"Why don't I call in a favour?" Jean-Luc said turning to look at Beverly.

"Go ahead," Beverly replied with a nod. "I'd like to know what I've got myself into."

Beverly watched as Jean-Luc tried to contact a friend of his at the academy. It took a while for him to find out that his friend Admiral Larter wasn't in and so he left a message for her to contact him.

"This is so frustrating!" Beverly said collapsing back against the couch.

"Why don't you just ask her?" Jean-Luc suggested.

Beverly looked at him evenly. "If I thought there was the slightest chance that she would tell me what happened to get her expelled I would have already asked her."

"Oh," Jean-Luc mumbled. "So what is she like?"

"Apart from mysterious?" Beverly said. "She looks like she is going to be trouble. She's a rabble-rouser. It even said it in her profile."

Jean-Luc sighed. "Well I for one can't wait until dinner this evening to found out for myself what this young lady is like."

"So how did you find your tour of the ship?" Jean-Luc asked as Beverly and Bailey settled themselves down on the settee in his quarters.

Bailey nodded her head smiling. "It's a nice ship, very big."

Jean-Luc noticed Beverly was watching Bailey with a peculiar expression on her face. Jean-Luc couldn't place the look; he had never seen it before. He wished there was some way he could get Beverly on her own for a moment to find out what was wrong or if something had happened that he should know about. But he didn't see how he could without Bailey knowing what they were up to.

"Where did you visit?" he asked distantly.

"Everywhere," Bailey replied.

"I showed her all the main places on board. Sickbay, Engineering, Stella Cartography," Beverly added. "Jean-Luc when is dinner? I'm starving," she grinned up at him, her eyes lighting up at the thought of food.

"It's ready when you are," he replied surprised at her sudden change in demeanour.

"Lets go to the table then," Beverly said getting straight to her feet.

Bailey followed her closely and took the nearest seat. Beverly followed Jean-Luc to the replicator instead of taking a seat.

"Help me," she whispered as she collected a few of the things that Jean-Luc had just replicated.

"What's wrong with her?" Jean-Luc asked in surprise. "She seems perfectly nice to me."

"Appearances can be deceptive, I'll explain later," Beverly whispered as they both joined Bailey at the table.

Jean-Luc placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of Bailey and then sat down to eat his. It felt strange to have someone other than Beverly to dinner.

Beverly was tucking into her vegetable soup when she felt Jean-Luc nudge her thigh with his. She looked up at him and he nodded towards Bailey.

Bailey was staring blankly into her soup and hadn't even picked up her spoon.

They both watched her for a few moments before Jean-Luc decided to speak. "Don't you like vegetable soup Bailey? I can always get you something else from the replicator."

Bailey jumped at the sound of his voice. "Uh… no no this is fine," she replied hurriedly picking up her spoon and taking her first taste. She looked up to find them both frowning at her. "This is nice," she said quickly.

"Is something wrong Bailey?" Beverly asked softly.

"No, I'm fine honestly," Bailey smiled quickly. "The soup reminded me of my mother. She used to make me vegetable soup every weekend for lunch. It smelt just like this," she took another taster. "It tastes just like it too," she added.

Beverly smiled. "I programmed in my grandmothers famous recipe into the replicator. I wouldn't mind betting your mother used the same recipe. I understand it has been handed down through generations of the Howard family."

Bailey nodded and turned her attention back to her soup.

Beverly exchanged looks with the Captain raising a perfect eyebrow. "Well…" she said. "Have you given anymore thought on what you're going to do here for the next two years?"

Bailey shrugged. "Not really," she replied.

"You could always go back to Earth to study," Beverly said helpfully. "As long as you are staying on campus, you could study anywhere."

Jean-Luc looked at his best friend and tried to suppress a smile. Beverly was trying to get rid of her. There was obviously something about the girl that bothered Beverly immensely. So much so that her motherly nature hadn't shown itself once. This surprised him. Bailey was obviously in need of motherly nurture, and Beverly was reluctant to give it. He knew she would in time, but couldn't help wonder what it was that had the good Doctors back up.

"I hadn't thought of that," Bailey said suddenly perking up at the prospect. She hadn't liked the idea of having to spend the next couple of years cooped up in the same ship.

"You could continue your psychology degree somewhere else," Beverly said encouragingly. "In any of the countries."

"You could do it on board here too," Jean-Luc added and received a sharp kick in his shin for the trouble.

"Could I?" Bailey asked him.

"Of course you can," Jean-Luc replied enjoying that he was able to wind Beverly up. "You use the computer here and the holodecks and whatever else needed. You can talk to your professors over communication channels easily. That's how Wesley did most of his studying on board isn't it Beverly?"

"Yes he did," Beverly replied tight lipped. "Before he was old enough to join the academy and leave for Earth."

"Counsellor Troi might even assist you with your training," Jean-Luc said. "What do you think Beverly?"

Now who was the rabble-rouser? Beverly thought to herself as she struggled to keep her temper in check. "I think Deanna would enjoy that," Beverly said diplomatically. Jean-Luc would pay for this later.

"Did I meet her today?" Bailey asked as she finished her soup.

"No, Deanna's at a conference for the next three weeks," Beverly replied.

"Is she nice?" Bailey asked.

"Very nice. She originates from Betazed. But her father was Human so she is only empathic and not telepathic," Jean-Luc replied.

"Cool," Bailey said happily.

Beverly sighed inwardly. Her supposed best friend had wiped out her only chance for freedom in five minutes.

The rest of the dinner went well. Jean-Luc told Bailey a few tales of various missions the Enterprise had been on in the past few years. Bailey was fascinated or at least appeared to Beverly to be. But the tour she had taken Bailey on before dinner had given Beverly cause for concern. Bailey had practically ignored everything Beverly had said during the tour and had even gone off by herself when Beverly was explaining important emergency drills and other points. Beverly had had to go and search for her several times and found her playing with computer consoles that were off limits to non-Starfleet personnel.

Jean-Luc went to the replicator for after dinner drinks and left Beverly alone with Bailey for a moment.

"Are you and he together?" Bailey asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"No we are not," Beverly replied steadfast.

Bailey peered at her elder for a moment. "Are you lying to me? I won't tell anyone."

"We are not together," Beverly hissed. The subject of her and Jean-Luc's relationship was at best a touchy subject and she did not want to discuss it with anyone let alone someone she barely knew.

"Why not?" Bailey continued not allowing the subject to drop. "He's really fit, for a bald guy and it obvious he fancies you like mad."

"Mind your own business," Beverly snapped glaring at her.

When Jean-Luc arrived with a decanter of brandy and three glasses. He set the tray on the table noting the tense atmosphere between the two redheads. Silently he poured the brandy into the glasses and was surprised when Beverly took the first glass he had poured and drank it down in one go.

She smiled quickly at him when she noticed him looking at her and promptly held out her glass for more.

Jean-Luc filled her glass and watched her down in again. He glanced at Bailey who was also watching Beverly with one eyebrow raised.

Jean-Luc set the decanter down and took a seat next to Beverly on the settee.

Bailey watched them both closely. She was almost sure there was more than friendship going on here. Being a quarter Betazoid herself, she could sense a little emotion from the people around her. She knew something was going on, but not being completely empathic and not having received any training in her abilities, she couldn't place it and it frustrated the hell out of her. Bailey loved to know everything that was going on around her; she supposed she would have to find out the human way.

Bailey drank her brandy in silence as she listened to Jean-Luc giving Beverly a few details on the next up coming mission. In those brief few minutes Beverly filled and drained her glass of brandy a further three times.

Bailey hid a grin behind her wine glass; Beverly's cheeks were turning pink. Bailey wondered if Beverly realised she was drinking real alcohol and getting very drunk.

"I should get going now," Bailey said breaking her silence. "I'll look into the options of continuing my training."

Jean-Luc showed her to the door and bid her goodnight before turning back to Beverly who was lounging quite comfortably on his settee.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he took a seat in the warm armchair Bailey had just vacated.

Beverly peered at him through a haze of alcohol. She knew she was supposed to be mad at him for something, but for the life of her she couldn't remember what for. "I'm fine," she replied after a few seconds of delay.

"Why are you drinking yourself into a stupor?" he asked as he quickly removed the decanter of brandy out of her reach.

"I'm not," she replied stubbornly, glaring at him when she realised he'd hidden the brandy from her. "I'm just enjoying an after dinner drink. Where's the brandy gone?" she asked propping herself up to look around the room for it.

"It's all gone," he improvised quickly.

"Oh," she sighed in disappointment and settled back down.

"Beverly?" he said softly.

"Yes Jean-Luc?" she replied just as softly.

"What is it about Bailey that bothers you so much?" he asked wondering whether he should get her some coffee from the replicator.

"I don't know," Beverly sighed as she stretched out fully on her stomach. The alcohol had released her inhibitions and she felt totally relaxed in his company. It made a nice change for her.

"Well something is obviously bothering you," he replied.

Beverly nodded, "She is," she snapped nodding towards the door. "She is rude, belligerent and cantankerous."

"That's a bit harsh isn't it?" Jean-Luc said in amazement. "Bailey seems like an ordinary teenage girl to me."

"What would you know?" Beverly spat. "She's perfect when she's around you. But when I'm alone with her it's a different story."

Jean-Luc was shocked at the venom in Beverly's tone and decided to put it down to the drink. "Beverly, she is probably seeing how far she can push you. You need to put her in her place. Just let her know who is in charge here."

Beverly sighed heavily. "All that coming from a man who has no children," she muttered to herself.

With his sharp hearing, Jean-Luc heard every word and it hurt him. Beverly of all people knew his desire to have a child of his own and how he regretted never having one.

Jean-Luc couldn't understand why Beverly was so agitated over one person. "I still don't understand," he pleaded with her for more information.

"I'm not being a bitch Jean-Luc if that's what your thinking," she said as she slid off of the couch to the floor and tried several times to get to her unsteady feet. "I care for her. We have a lot in common apart from the fact we are both Howard's. She lost her parents just like I did and we both have red hair."

Jean-Luc couldn't stand seeing her struggling to get to her feet any longer and gave her assistance. "So why were you trying to get rid of her?" Jean-Luc held her steady and she got her balance.

"I wasn't," she protested as she removed his hands from her waist.

"You were trying to convince her to go back to Earth and study," he reminded her.

"I want her to get her qualifications," Beverly replied rolling her eyes.

"Beverly?" he said to catch her attention.

"Yes?" she replied looking in his eyes.

"You remember when your parents were killed?" he asked softly.

Beverly's face fell at the memory. "Yes, I was seven."

"What did you need then?" he prompted.

Beverly shrugged. "Nana?" she replied in a dreamy voice.

"You needed the love and support of someone," he finished for her. "You needed your Nana to help you grieve. I know Bailey's parents died ten years ago, but maybe she hasn't fully come to terms with their death."

Beverly nodded slowly. "I understand," she whispered.

"She needs you and is probably too afraid to admit it. She seems proud and stubborn just like someone else not a million light years away from here," Jean-Luc smiled fondly at her. "Especially after her guardian just died too. To lose one parent is awful, to lose both is a tragedy. Now she has lost another parent figure and it must have devastated her."

"Okay, I'm wrong about her," Beverly said holding her hands up in defeat. "I promise I will do my best to be a good mother to her."

"Good."

Beverly smiled sweetly at him. "Can I go now Captain?" she asked brightly.

"You're dismissed," he joked as he showed her to the door.

"Goodnight," they said in unison and Beverly gently kissed his lips before turning and leaving.

Jean-Luc closed the door and heaved a sigh. One day Beverly wouldn't walk out of those doors until the morning.

Beverly stripped off her clothes and took a quick shower before getting into bed with one of her grandmothers old journals. She had picked the volume from ten years ago; the year that Bailey would have visited her after her parents death. Beverly wanted to see if Bailey had indeed visited her grandmother and if she had, she wanted to see if her grandmother had given any reason as to why Bailey couldn't stay and why she hadn't told her about Bailey's visit.

Beverly hadn't even got to the references about Bailey's visit before the drink forced her eyelids closed and she fell asleep.

In the darkened room, Beverly lay on her side deep in slumber land. Her red hair fell across her pillows like a fiery waterfall and the crisp white cotton sheet tangled round her hips as she moved about in her sleep.

The spirit looked at her form from above. To him Beverly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her soft white skin was so tempting, he wanted to touch her, caress her and taste her.

It had been so long for him, he needed her. Needed her to feel wanted again. He needed to protect her, wanted her to feel safe again. He wanted to love her like no one had done before.

He lowered himself gently down onto the bed next to her and just laid close to her, breathing in her scent. She smelt wonderful, so alive and he couldn't resist touching her hair. He ran invisible fingers through the silky tendrils flowing across the pillow. It felt so good, so erotic.

Beverly stirred in her sleep and turned to face him. He gazed loving at her beautiful face, so soft and so milky white. Leaning forward he softly kissed her eyelids and smiled to himself when they fluttered open.

Beverly blinked in confusion and looked around wondering what had woken her. Nothing seemed to be amiss so she closed her eyes again and went back to sleep.

He watched her in wonder and his eyes travelled the length of her body. He lifted his hand and ran tender fingertips across the exposed skin of her neck and shoulders revelling in the immense pleasure it gave him.

She moved again as a result of his caress and turned to lie on her back, kicking the sheet off the bed as she did so.

He watched her chest rising and falling steadily before floating down to the bottom of the bed. Reaching up he ran his hands up her legs and over her thighs pushing up her nightdress as he did so.

Beverly jumped up when his fingers touched her intimately. She stood by the side of the bed breathing hard, her eyes wide as she scanned the room for possible intruders. "Who's there?" she asked walking around the bed slowly looking for any sign of an intruder. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage as she searched her bedroom. Slowly she moved into the lounge and called for the lights to come up. She walked around the back of the settee and looked in every possible place for the intruder to hide.

"Computer, how many occupants are in this room?" she asked breathlessly as she pulled her nightdress down self-consciously.

"There is one occupant in the room," the computer replied in monotone.

Shaking her head clear she wandered into the bathroom and splashed cool water onto her face. It was almost time for her to get up now and there was no point in trying to go back to sleep.

As she went back into her bedroom to get ready for her duty shift, she spotted her grandmothers journal lying on the floor beside her bed and glanced quickly about the room again. For a second she thought that Ronin was with her in the room. Then she remembered that she had killed him years before.

Realising that she must have imagined the hands running over her legs, she laughed at her own foolishness and put it down to the drink and the fact that she had been dreaming of Ronin again after reading her grandmothers journals.

As she collected the journal and put it back in its place in the bookcase she decided that perhaps she shouldn't read the journals before going to bed anymore. She would come back here for lunch and read them then.

She got dressed and decided to meet Jean-Luc early for breakfast. She arrived fifteen minutes before usual and rang the chime.

Jean-Luc looked surprised when he answered the door to find Beverly standing there. "You're early," he stated.

"I know," she smiled at him. "Why are you so surprised? It's not like I haven't ever turned up early before."

"You were drinking rather heavily last night, that's all," he replied with a shrug as he headed over to the table.

"I can handle my drink Jean-Luc!" she playfully warned him as she followed him to the table.

"I couldn't tell," he laughed as he began to set the table for breakfast.

Beverly watched him in silence as he set the table for three. She hoped it was a mistake.

"I hope you don't mind Beverly," he said when he saw her scrutinising the third placement. "But I took the liberty of inviting Bailey to join us."

"I don't mind," she replied quickly even though she really did mind. She smiled reassuringly at him.

Jean-Luc grinned back and headed over to the replicator. "I just hope she likes coffee and croissants as much as we do."

They were already drinking their coffee when Bailey arrived. "Good morning," she said grinning wildly as she took her seat. Beverly was here having breakfast with her Captain and she wondered whether Beverly had actually gone home the night before.

From the gleam in Bailey's eye, Beverly knew exactly what was running through her cousin's mind and prayed to God or whoever was listening, for her not to open her mouth and blurt it out. Beverly would be absolutely mortified if she breathed a word.

"Morning," Beverly replied in a mundane fashion.

"Good morning Bailey," Jean-Luc said in a more jovial manner. "How was your first night on board? Did you sleep well?"

"Like a log," Bailey smiled back at him. "Those Starfleet beds look uncomfortable but they certainly are not."

"I'm glad you approve," he replied glancing at Beverly once before offering Bailey some coffee.

"No thanks," Bailey replied. "I can't stand the stuff."

"D'you want some tea?" Beverly asked.

"No thanks," Bailey laughed. "That's even worse."

"Orange juice?" Jean-Luc suggested.

"Nope," Bailey giggled. "I can't stand that either. I'll get myself something," she said getting up from the table and ordering herself a glass of apple juice from the replicator.

End of part one 


	2. Chapter 2

**Dvorovoi Part Two**

**By ****Karen Page**

When she turned back she noticed that Beverly was motioning to Jean-Luc about something. With her back to Bailey, Beverly couldn't see that Bailey was watching her.

Jean-Luc glanced up at Bailey as she neared the table and Beverly immediately stopped what she was doing. She turned and smiled at Bailey as she re-joined them at the table. "Would you like to help out in Sickbay today?" she asked expectantly.

Bailey tried to hide her surprise. "What would I do?" she asked.

"Anything that I need doing," Beverly replied with a smile. "You can be my assistant for the day. I'll teach you a few things about sickbay. Would you like that?" Suddenly Beverly was excited at the prospect, it reminded her of Amanda the Q's visit several years ago.

Bailey nodded. "I'll do my best," she said with a big grin.

"You have to conduct yourself in an orderly manner," Jean-Luc added.

"Don't I always!" Bailey laughed; her laughter rang in the room alone. When she realised she alone was laughing she quickly stopped and turned her attention to her apple juice, feeling stupid.

"I'm not that bad you know," she whispered a few seconds later. "I don't know what you've heard about me, but it isn't fair to judge me on that. I have learnt by my mistakes."

"What exactly happened Bailey?" Beverly asked softly.

Bailey looked up at Beverly before speaking. "It wasn't me."

"What happened?" Beverly asked again.

"Someone shot the professor," Bailey said quietly. "It wasn't me," she added quickly.

"But why were you given the blame?" Jean-Luc asked. "The academy would have given you a disciplinary proceeding. They would have had strong evidence against you and would not have expelled you without good reasoning."

"They had evidence," Bailey said quietly. She didn't want to talk about this and hoped they would change the subject. But she knew that until they got all the facts, neither Beverly nor Jean-Luc would drop it.

Beverly watched Bailey shift uncomfortably in her seat. "What evidence?" she probed.

Bailey wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I was in the exact place that the phaser was fired from. I also had the motive."

"What motive?" Beverly asked wishing that Bailey would just spit it out.

"I had a rather large disagreement with him just beforehand. I wanted to know why he was always picking on me and none of the others. If I did the slightest thing wrong, he would drag me into his office and yell at me. The others would do things wrong, sometimes even worse than I, but he never took any of them to his office. He just took them aside and had a few words in their ear," Bailey's face pained at the memory. It didn't matter whom she told this to, no one ever believed that she was telling the truth.

Bailey looked at Beverly then Jean-Luc in turn. "I don't know why I'm even bothering to tell you all this," she mumbled getting to her feet. "You don't believe me and why should you? You don't even know me! I'm just a stupid kid!"

With those last words she left Jean-Luc's quarters quickly, so that they wouldn't see her cry.

She ran all the way to her quarters and dashed inside, straight to her bed. She buried her face in the pillow and cried softly to herself as she had done for so many years.

Soon she felt soothing hands rubbing her back and smiled through her tears. "I thought you weren't here," she said softly turning over onto her back.

"I'd never leave you Bailey," a soft male voice whispered before pulling her into his arms and hugging her.

Bailey lost control of her emotions and cried even harder as she hugged him back. "I missed you," she said between heartbreaking sobs. "I'm sorry," she added a second later.

He didn't reply and just continued stroking her fine red hair.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

He laughed, "I just told you my sweetheart, I could never leave you."

"Devon?" she asked softly.

"Yes my love?" he replied raining kisses on her cheeks to mop up her salty tears.

"I don't like it here," she whispered in a childlike voice.

"It will get better," Devon whispered back. "I promise."

Beverly stared hard at the doors to Bailey's quarters as she struggled to control her nerves and think of the right words to say to her.

Finally deciding that she had to go in now, she pushed the chime and waited for Bailey to call come before entering.

Bailey was sitting on her bed looking rather sheepish. "I'm sorry, I never meant to lose my temper like that," she said quickly before Beverly managed to get a word in.

"You don't even know me Bailey," Beverly said as she sat on the bed beside the young girl. "How can you be so sure that I wouldn't believe you?"

Bailey peered at Beverly questioningly. "I suppose it's because no body else did," she replied quietly.

"Like I said before," Beverly said softly as she dropped her arm around Bailey's shoulders. "I think once you get to know me, we'll get on well," Beverly smiled reassuringly at her. "I can see myself in you. I was just the same as you. I always spoke or rather shouted first and asked questions later. I learnt the hard way that I had to keep my big mouth shut. Eventually I taught myself to keep those thoughts to myself."

"How long did it take you?" Bailey asked.

"I think I was about twenty three. It was just after I met Jack, that I realised I could control my big mouth," Beverly smiled at the memory.

"How come?"

"I met Jean-Luc," Beverly laughed. "My first impressions of him were that he was a snob!"

"You've known him all this time?" Bailey asked.

Beverly smiled fondly. "Over thirty years," she said wistfully.

Bailey was giving Beverly that look again; Beverly knew what Bailey was thinking.

"Listen Bailey," Beverly began again. "I promise you that there is nothing other than a great friendship between the Captain and I. We are best friends and have been for fourteen years now."

"Okay, okay," Bailey said holding her hands up in defeat. "I get the picture," she laughed.

"Good," Beverly sighed in relief. "Just make sure you don't open that mouth of yours and get yourself and me in trouble. D'you think you can manage that?"

"If there is nothing going on," Bailey asked with a grin. "Why are you so worried that I would say something?"

"Just leave it," Beverly said getting to her feet. "Now are you coming to Sickbay with me today or are you gonna stay here and feel sorry for yourself?"

"Given the choices," Bailey pretended to ponder them for a moment. "I think I'll go to Sickbay and then come back here tonight and feel sorry for myself then."

Beverly laughed. "Come on then," she said holding out her hand. She was so glad that she was finally getting somewhere with Bailey. She felt her uneasiness fading away as she took Bailey to sickbay for the day.

Bailey sat on the bio bed playing about with a medical tricorder and scanning everything and anyone that caught her fancy. She thought the whole medical thing was amazing as she watched Beverly treat her patients during the day. Beverly showed so much care and nurturing as she spoke to her patients, so much so that even if they were in pain and crying, they would smile through their tears.

"Hey sweetheart," Devon whispered in her ear.

Bailey was so used to him sneaking up on her unawares that she never even flinched anymore. "Hey to you," she whispered back, her eyes glued to Beverly as she healed a cut on her latest patient.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he took a seat beside her on the bio bed, leaning up against her. "Are you sick?"

"No, I'm doing work experience," she replied.

"Work experience," he snorted. "That's no fun!"

"What do you expect me to do?" she asked. "Sit in my quarters and stare at the four walls?"

"I would have kept you company," he replied as he ran his fingers over her thigh. "We could have had so much fun."

"Life isn't just about sex Devon," Bailey replied, pushing his hand away.

"It is to me," Devon laughed.

"That's obvious," Bailey snorted. "You need to get yourself a hobby."

"I already have," he said brushing his lips against hers softly.

"Well go and do it then," she replied adamantly. "I'll see you tonight won't I?"

"Of course you will my love," he kissed her forehead gently and moved away.

"How is the experiment coming along?" Beverly asked as she joined Bailey at a workstation in sickbay a few hours later.

"The same as it was the last time you asked," Bailey replied.

Beverly only had to raise a disapproving eyebrow to make Bailey apologise for snapping.

"Sorry," Bailey grumbled as she slid off the stool so that Beverly could see how much work she had done.

"Do you actually enjoy doing this?" Beverly asked. "Or are you just tolerating me?"

"I like it," Bailey replied. "Honestly I do," she added at Beverly's expression.

"Really?" Beverly smiled proudly. "Healers and Doctors have run in our family for decades. It's sort of a family tradition."

"My mum was a Doctor," Bailey said thoughtfully. "She had her own practice on the ground floor of our house. I don't think she ever thought about joining Starfleet though. I think she enjoyed knowing all the families in the small town where we lived. She delivered all the babies, including me! She woke up in labour in the middle of the night and I popped out twenty minutes later!"

Beverly laughed. "Where was your dad?"

Bailey smiled at the memory of her father. "He was there and went completely to pieces!" Bailey laughed. "He was a fine standing Starfleet Captain and he went completely to pieces!"

"It must have come as a shock to him," Beverly laughed. She was so pleased that Bailey was opening up to her at last.

"Yeah, although I remember him telling people what a hero he was, coming to mums rescue and saving the day!"

"Most men are like that," Beverly said as she scanned the experiment. It was running perfectly, she couldn't have done any better herself.

"I think it must have been the pain that caught him off guard," Bailey said distantly. "He can't have had time to raise his shields."

Now Beverly was confused. "Were you born on his ship?" she asked.

"No, at home," Bailey frowned. "Why?"

"What did you mean by him not having time to raise his shields?"

"He was half-Betazoid," Bailey replied thinking nothing of it. "I meant the ones in his head not on his ship!" she laughed.

Beverly turned and looked at her companion in amazement. "I thought you were Human," she said slowly.

"I am," Bailey replied defensively. "Well mostly anyway."

"What can you sense?" Beverly asked, now more than ever she wished Deanna were on board.

"Nothing really," Bailey shrugged. "I sometimes catch a little anger or frustration from people. Sometimes happiness and pleasure. But only if they are really high on the emotion. I can't sense anyone right now. But it's probably because I haven't ever had the training to use it."

Beverly stared at Bailey for a moment, she was unsure how to react. Bringing up someone else's child was one thing, but an empath with no training was something she hadn't even considered.

"Why isn't it on your records?" she asked leading Bailey into main sickbay.

"I don't know," Bailey shrugged. "I didn't write them did I?"

"I think it's time for a complete medical," Beverly said pointing to a bio bed nearby.

Bailey groaned. "You don't need to go to all that trouble," she whined pitifully.

"Oh I think I do," Beverly said. "Sit your butt down young lady. I don't think I want any more surprises from you."

"I haven't got any more surprises," Bailey assured her, not even attempting to get on the bed as ordered.

"Bailey," Beverly said evenly. "Get on the bed now."

Bailey rolled her eyes and headed over to the bed reluctantly. She turned and glanced back at Beverly, communicating her displeasure with a single look before climbing on the bed.

"Right," Beverly said pulling out a tricorder from her pocket. "First some questions. Are you experiencing anything you might want to tell me before we go on?"

"I'm annoyed," Bailey huffed.

"Apart from that," Beverly replied shortly. "Have you got a boyfriend?" Beverly asked looking at Bailey expectantly.

Bailey peered at her for a moment. "Not at the moment, no."

"Have you had one?" Beverly asked.

"If you are trying to ask me whether I'm sexually active, the answer is yes," Bailey grinned at Beverly's shocked expression. "I am almost twenty," she added quickly.

"Picard to Crusher," Jean-Luc's voice sounded in the empty room.

"Crusher here," Beverly replied.

"Can you come up here?" he asked.

"On my way," Beverly replied closing the channel.

Bailey was grinning wildly. "Saved!" she exclaimed falling back on the bed in exaggerated relief.

"This isn't over," Beverly wagged a finger at her cousin before heading to the bridge.

When Beverly arrived on the bridge, Jean-Luc was nowhere in site so she headed to his ready room and went straight in.

"You wanted to see me Captain," she said politely.

"Sit down," he said gesturing to the desktop next to him with a grin.

Beverly raised an eyebrow and did as she was told. She must have become predictable somewhere along the line. "Have you heard from your friend yet?" she asked guessing that was what he had called her to his ready room for.

"Yes," he replied slowly. "I think we have a problem."

"We?" she said smiling at him.

"Um… well… yes," he mumbled. Damned woman had him flustered yet again. He wanted to help Beverly with her guardianship and that did make him Bailey's father figure. An idea he was beginning to feel comfortable with and to some extent, enjoyable.

"What problems are we facing then?" she asked emphasizing the word we. It thrilled her to think Jean-Luc wanted to be Bailey's father figure and it endeared him to her even more.

"I spoke with Admiral Larter briefly just a few minutes ago," he began. "Apart from the shooting incident, the incident that got Bailey expelled. Bailey has been in the centre of a few mysterious incidents on the college campus. Carinô said that these incidents had nothing really to do with school, but they were on campus."

"What kind of incidents?" Beverly asked.

"Apartments were broken into and trashed, but nothing taken. Each of the four people this happened to had fallen out with Bailey on the same day the break-in's occurred."

"Why is it so mysterious?" Beverly asked in confusion.

"Although Bailey had no alibi for her whereabouts at the time of each break in, no DNA or finger prints of anyone were found in any of the apartments; so they couldn't convict her. They had no proof that Bailey had been or had ever been in the apartments."

Beverly frowned. "Well she can't have done it then," she stated adamantly. "Not unless she was coated head to toe in some kind of barrier. I have never heard of anyone doing that or even if it's possible."

"We can't dismiss the possibility Beverly," Jean-Luc said softly. "We have encountered many things during our time on this ship. Lots of them seemed impossible."

"But…" Beverly murmured.

Jean-Luc held up his hand and stopped her. "From what I was told just now, Bailey is extremely intelligent. She might just have thought up someway to enter the apartments and leave no traces."

Beverly wasn't happy, and Jean-Luc had no difficulty in recognising it. She remained tight-lipped as he went onto explain several other illegal occurrences that Bailey had somehow got herself mixed up in.

"I am pleased that you are trying to protect her Beverly," he said softly catching her attention.

"I'm not trying to protect her," Beverly retorted. "I just find all this hard to believe."

"I thought you were having trouble getting to know her," he replied. "You even wanted her to go back to Earth and study. I seem to recall that she put you on edge. That you didn't like her."

Beverly was looking at the ceiling during his speech. "I like her," she said turning to look directly at Jean-Luc. "She maybe cheeky and has a hell of a lot to say for herself, but I like her."

"That's good," Jean-Luc smiled genuinely. "Because I'm rather taken with the young lady too."

Beverly smiled at him. She was thrilled. "Shall I ask her to call you daddy?" she giggled at his shocked expression as he tugged on the bottom of his jumper.

"Dismissed," he said trying to suppress his smile unsuccessfully.

Beverly slid off his desk and saluted him before leaving. Jean-Luc leaned back in his chair, shaking his head at the incorrigible woman. He couldn't wait to meet her for dinner that evening.

"Jean-Luc?" Beverly called as the doors whooshed open suddenly. "I forgot to tell you something that maybe important."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Bailey is quarter Betazoid," Beverly replied. "I just found out. I'm going to perform a full medical examination on her so that we might not get anymore surprises from her."

Jean-Luc nodded. "I think that would be a wise move."

"I'll let you know if I find something," Beverly said with a nod before leaving once again.

Bailey had hurried out of Sickbay as soon as Beverly had gone to the bridge to meet with the Captain. She hated having any medical procedures carried out on her. It steamed from past encounters with Doctors. After her parents had died, Bailey had been hauled into see several Counsellors and Doctors during the weeks after her parents death.

They were not there to try and help her recover from her traumatic experience, but were insistent and intent on trying to find the murderer of her mother and more specifically to find out whether the legendary British Starfleet Captain was the culprit.

Out of all the various Doctors and Counsellors that came to visit her in her new home, only one of the Counsellors had ever truly tried to help her recover. Her name was Belinda Carlton, and she had taken Bailey under her wing for about three months. After her untimely death in an explosion at the hospital where she worked, Bailey had vowed that she would become a Counsellor and continue Belinda's work and care for the children like her.

Bailey sank down behind her computer terminal in her quarters and decided that she would look into continuing her training onboard like the Captain had suggested.

It was at that time when Devon arrived. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Researching my career options," Bailey replied without looking away from the screen.

"Now what do you want to do?" Devon asked with a sigh.

"The same," she replied. "I was also thinking about getting some training on what little empathic ability I have."

"I thought that little escapade at the academy might have put you off becoming a Counsellor."

"Well it didn't," Bailey snapped. "I'm as serious about this as I was when I first joined the academy."

"Are you finished?" he asked brushing his hand across the back of her neck and moving her hair out of the way.

"No," Bailey pushed his hand away. "I've only just started."

"Well suit yourself," Devon snapped. "I think I'll leave you to it and don't expect to see me tonight either. I have plans for tonight."

"Lucky you," Bailey snapped as he left her.

"More wine?" Jean-Luc asked with a smile as he gazed at the beautiful woman sitting on the couch beside him. Her hair glowed in the candlelight. She looked amazing.

"Yes please," Beverly smiled and held out her glass.

Jean-Luc filled her glass and replaced the bottle on the coffee table in front of them. "Okay," he breathed. "Is it okay to broach the forbidden topic?" he asked.

Beverly looked up at him in alarm. "What forbidden topic?" she dared herself to ask, hoping to God he didn't mean what she thought he meant.

"Bailey," Jean-Luc replied.

"Oh," Beverly almost heaved a sigh of relief. 'Right, I knew that' she thought to herself trying to suppress laugh. She had thought for a split second that he was talking about 'The Forbidden Topic', their relationship.

"I chose not to bring Bailey up because she's seems to be all that we have spoken about the past few days," he said with a smile.

"That's true," Beverly nodded.

"So, did you perform the medical on her?" he asked.

"No," Beverly sighed. "She escaped when you called me to the bridge. But I'll get to her tomorrow."

"Good," Jean-Luc smiled at her. "We have to give her something to do on board."

"Like what?" Beverly asked taking a sip of her wine.

Jean-Luc shrugged and shook his head. "Well if it's any consolation to her being expelled. Bailey actually passed with flying colours at Starfleet Academy."

"Did she!" Beverly sat up suddenly.

Jean-Luc nodded. "I thought Bailey had no more surprises for you?" he joked.

"At least it's a nice one this time," Beverly laughed. "How did you find that out?"

"I spoke to Carino again this afternoon," Jean-Luc replied, "Bailey stayed on to specialise in Psychology. She graduated as a full ranking Ensign almost two years ago. Top fifteen percent of her class."

"So she could serve on the ship," Beverly said slowly. "Somewhere anyway."

"But if she wanted to serve on the ship she would have already told us about her rank," Jean-Luc pointed out.

"I'll have a talk with her tomorrow morning and find out exactly what she's playing at."

"I think that would be wise," Jean-Luc agreed.

"I beginning to think my initial assessment of Bailey was correct," Beverly laughed. "She does seem to cause trouble. But I don't think that she means to actually do it. It just happens around her."

"I agree," he replied.

"So if Bailey wants to serve on board, which department would you have her stationed?" Beverly asked sweetly.

"I think I would have to have her on the bridge," he replied surprising his companion.

"Really?" Beverly asked wide-eyed.

"That way I can keep an eye on her myself," he replied with a grin.

Beverly laughed. "I knew there was an ulterior motive in there somewhere."

"Of course," he replied laughing with her.

The laughter died and Beverly caught Jean-Luc looking at her in that way again. Sometimes, at moments like this, Jean-Luc's usual stoic expression failed and he let down his guard and she could clearly see the love he held for her in his eyes. It was at these moments; Beverly felt scared and always called it a night before something happened. She was afraid she couldn't live up to his expectations of her. Jean-Luc had placed her on a pedal-stool so high, she was afraid he was going to see her fall.

"Well," Beverly said slowly, watching his face fall. He knew what was coming. "I think it's time I got off to bed," she said getting to her feet after draining her glass.

Jean-Luc wanted to do nothing more than tell her she couldn't leave. To take her into his arms and kiss her passionately and to tell her how much she meant to him. But he had thrown the ball in her court years ago and all he could do now was wait for her to throw it back. He knew she wasn't ready to begin a relationship with him, and didn't want to endanger their friendship by making the first move. Beverly already knew how he felt; he didn't need to tell her. Everything was up to Beverly now. She was the one who could choose, he just hoped that she wouldn't take his heaven away.

Slowly he climbed to his feet and showed her to the door like the true gentleman like he was.

"I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow," Beverly said planting a goodnight kiss on his clean-shaven cheek.

"Oh seven hundred hours," he echoed, not quite knowing what else to say.

"On the dot," she replied as she headed down the corridor towards bed. She was exhausted after waking so early that morning after her little encounter with an all too real dream.

She headed straight to bed when she got home, shedding her clothes along the way. She pulled a little pink silk shirt over her head and climbed in bed. "Computer lights off."

The room fell into darkness and she turned and snuggled up under the covers alone.

She was almost asleep when she felt the bedcovers suddenly lift away from her body. She sat up startled and called the computer for the lights. The room flooded with light, and she blinked furiously to get her eyes to adjust. "Who's there?" she demanded reaching for her comm. badge.

To her total surprise, her comm. badge whooshed from across the room just as her fingers were about to make contact. She gasped in shock as fear encompassed her whole being. That was not her imagination. Something had definitely moved it. "Who's there?" she demanded again.

Still no answer.

Beverly scrambled to her feet and made a dash for her comm. badge. Without warning, she was grabbed from behind and thrown bodily to the floor; she fell on her back and yelled out in pain. Although she could see nothing above her, Beverly could feel someone sitting on top of her. She could feel muscular thighs either side of her waist and two strong masculine hands pinning her arms above her head.

Her breath came in raging gasps as she struggled to get air into her lungs. Whatever had hold of her and was sitting on top of her was very heavy and made it hard for her to breath, let alone fight for her escape. Her mind whirled and she couldn't think straight.

"Beverly…"

Beverly gasped as she heard a male voice whisper her name softly. "Who are you?" she whimpered.

"Let me love you," he whispered back, releasing her hands.

"Get off me!" she yelled suddenly, trying in vain to push him off. Her hands simply went through his form. It seemed he could touch her, but she could not touch him. "Computer…" she yelled before his hand clasped over her mouth and nose. She couldn't breath and felt panic well up within her.

"Don't call for help," he said in a menacing voice. "Or I will have to kill you."

She struggled beneath him, fighting to breath. Finally, just before she passed out, he released her nose and she sucked in her life air. She couldn't ever remember being so scared in her life.

"Are you going to keep quiet?" he asked, his voice close to her ear.

Beverly shivered, but didn't answer.

"I asked you a question!" he yelled into her face. "If I let you go are you going to keep quiet!"

Beverly nodded once. Her eyes filled with tears as he yanked her to her feet and dragged her into her bedroom. She knew what was coming and tried desperately to get her immobilised-by-fear brain to formulate an escape plan. She didn't have her comm. badge and the computer could only open channels to other departments on the ship. The other problem was that even if she could call out to the computer, she had to wait for someone to respond before she could even ask for help, and by then, whatever or whoever this was might have silenced her forever.

Seconds later, she found herself back in bed once again and this time, the invisible body was laying atop her, holding her arms above her head with one hand.

Tears streamed down her face in an eerie silence, and her chest heaved in an effort to calm herself. She could hear her blood rushing through her system and her heart pounding along in rhythm.

"I have waited so long for this," he said in a low voice and he slid a hand between them and began to open her nightshirt buttons one by one. "I think it's going to be an enjoyable experience."

"Please don't," Beverly heard herself say somewhere in the distance. "Don't hurt me."

"I couldn't hurt you," he said running his fingertips across her face gently. "Not unless you give me no choice."

"Computer!" she yelled suddenly.

He wasted no time in producing a knife from thin air, and plunged it deep into the pillow beside her head. The blade nicked her ear and she screamed in horror, her heart pounding and her breath coming in short sharp gasps. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"I don't want to hurt you, but if you push me I will," he said in an anger filled voice. He saw her staring horrified at the knife embedded in the bed by her face. "As you can see, I am fully capable of doing so. I just hope there is no need."

Beverly believed him. "What are you?" she asked when her curiosity finally got the better of her.

"Someone you will grow to like," he replied. "I would have courted you, but I have no time."

Beverly tried hard to swallow her fear. She had kept a cool head in even more dangerous situations than this before, but she had usually had some knowledge of her captor and she always knew what they looked like.

She felt him sit up, still straddled across her hips and watched in amazement as she saw her nightshirt come undone as if by magic. The room fell silent for a moment and if it hadn't been for the weight she felt across her middle, she would have sworn she was alone.

She screamed suddenly when she felt a hand run across her skin. She found out where his other hand was when it suddenly clasped over her mouth again.

"What part of be quiet don't you understand?" he whispered, his mouth close to her ear.

Beverly whimpered again under his hand as she watched her skin contort under the invisible caress. He wasn't hurting her; she felt no pain; only a deep fear that almost consumed her.

As he rained kisses on her lips and her neck, his strange influence overcame her. She began kissing him back, thoroughly enjoying herself. It no longer mattered to her where he came from or that this wasn't right somehow. All she knew as he skilfully brought her over and over the edge, making her body tremble involuntarily, was that she had needed this, that she wanted this.

Slowly Beverly's world reappeared around her. She could make out the shape of her quarters through her tears and she reached over to tug the bed sheets to her naked body. She felt guilty and ashamed of herself for giving in so easily. He hadn't hurt her, or forced her after he had kissed her lips for the first time. In fact she could recall him even asking her whether she wanted him to stop, and could clearly remember her saying "no" to him over and over again.

She lay still for several minutes, not quite believing what had happened to her. But she knew it had happened. It was only then that she realised she had been tricked.

She also knew she wasn't alone yet. Whatever IT was was still in her quarters. She could hear his breathing as if it vibrated throughout her head. He was close, too damn close.

Suddenly she was grabbed again and he held her throat in a vice-like grip. He leaned over and spoke into her face through gritted teeth. "If you mention this to anyone," he said in a menacing low voice. "I will not only kill you, I will kill your precious Captain."

Beverly swallowed and nodded in assent. She didn't even want anyone to know, she didn't want anyone knowing how weak she was. How could she explain it? Who would believe her?

"Be a good girl and go to sleep," he ordered.

Beverly almost laughed. How on earth did he think she could sleep after that!

"See you later," he said as he released his tight hold on her.

She couldn't hear him anymore and so she slowly sat up. With jelly-legs she walked to the bathroom clutching the sheet around her. She turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She hardly recognised the person she saw, her eyes were puffy and her lips were swollen from his passionate kisses. She looked literally ravaged.

With a shudder and a sudden burst of anger she jumped into the shower and slammed the door shut, hoping it would block out the feelings. She turned on the water and looked up at its source before collapsing to the floor hugging her knees tightly to her chest.

She must have been crying in the shower for hours, because she heard her alarm clock sound in the room next door telling her it was time to get up.

Luckily for her, the ships supply of hot water never ran out otherwise she would have been sitting beneath an icy waterfall. With her usual air of determination, she rose to her feet holding her head high and climbed out of the shower, turning the water off as she went.

Beverly was determined not to let last night ruin her life. She was not going to dwell on what had happened. She was going to accept it and move on. She wasn't going to hide herself away and fear her attacker for the rest of her life, after all it was just sex and it wasn't like she hadn't had sex with someone she didn't love before. Whatever had attacked her last night might have molested her body, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let him molest her mind.

Beverly was a strong woman and had been through a hell of a lot of worse things in her past than this. Reflecting on her past, Beverly knew she would be able to pull herself together just as she had done after her parents and her husband's death. Just like she had done after Ronin had violated her.

Half an hour later she arrived at Jean-Luc's for breakfast. She was just about to ring the chime when Bailey appeared at her side and made her jump.

"A bit nervous aren't we?" Bailey joked. "You look so guilty!"

Beverly stared at her cousin for a moment, waiting for her heart to stop racing. "I'm not feeling guilty or nervous," she replied stonily.

Bailey shrugged. "You didn't forget the Captain of your heart's birthday present or something did you?"

Beverly's mind raced again, was it his birthday? Then Bailey's words sank in. "I'm warning you! Lay off our relationship. We are just best friends!"

Bailey giggled until she got a warning glare from Beverly to remind her of what she had just said. "I'm sorry," she said holding up her hands in defeat, but she couldn't keep the mischievous smile from her face.

"What do you want anyway?" Beverly asked.

"The Captain invited me over for a business breakfast," Bailey shrugged. "God knows what for! But all I know is that I wish he'd given me more time to get ready. He only asked me twenty minutes ago. Not everyone on this ship has to be up at six in the morning!"

They both went inside and found Jean-Luc already eating his breakfast. Evidentially he was hungry because he hadn't waited for his company to arrive.

Bailey smiled when she noticed the jug of apple juice on the table. She was pleased Jean-Luc had remembered she didn't drink tea or coffee.

"Good morning," he said smiling at them both.

Bailey smiled back and said "Good morning."

Jean-Luc looked to Beverly when she didn't reply. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as she took her seat beside him at the table. He wondered if she had another set-to with Bailey.

They ate breakfast in silence and Jean-Luc watched Beverly like a hawk. She barely ate a thing, just played with her croissant. "Are you okay Beverly?" he whispered when Bailey made a quick trip to the replicator.

Beverly jumped and looked at him. She had been lost in her own world of thoughts. "Pardon me?" she replied.

"Are you alright?" he asked again.

"Oh yeah," she replied with a fake smile. "I'm fine."

"Have you had another argument with Bailey again?" he asked, not entirely convinced that she was telling the truth.

"Bailey?" Beverly mumbled. "No," she noticed Bailey arriving back at the table and afforded her a big smile.

Bailey frowned and smiled back. She couldn't figure Beverly out at all. One minute she was snappy and it seemed like Beverly didn't want to be around her and the next she was all smiles.

Beverly decided to take the initiative. She didn't want Jean-Luc to ponder on her quiet distant mood for much longer. "You told me that you had no more surprises Bailey," she said slowly as Bailey took her seat.

Bailey looked from Beverly to Jean-Luc and back again. She swallowed hard, wondering what the hell had happened between her going to bed and getting up for breakfast. As far as she knew she never sleepwalked. "I haven't," she mumbled nervously.

"How come you never mentioned once to me that you were an Ensign?" Beverly asked as she poured her and Jean-Luc some more coffee.

"Oh!" Bailey exclaimed in relief; that she could answer. "I didn't really think about it to be honest. I don't want to be a Starfleet Ensign, but I needed to pass because of what I want to be. You see, if I'm going to be a Counsellor on board Starfleet ships, I needed to be a qualified Starfleet officer."

Beverly listened to Bailey's explanation before glancing at the Captain. "Well you do realise that you can serve on board this ship between studying."

"I thought you had to have experience. I haven't worked on board a ship before. Well not this size anyway," Bailey replied.

"It doesn't matter," Jean-Luc said speaking for the first time. "You can have on-the-job training. It will stand you in good stead for future assignments."

"The Enterprise is the cream-of-the-crop," Beverly added, noting Bailey's reluctance. "With that on your resume you'll be able to pick between assignments."

"But isn't that favouritism?" Bailey asked. "Just because you work here, I get the job?" she decided not to mention the fact that her colleagues would only think she got the job because Beverly had worked her feminine charms on the Captain.

"Of course not," Beverly replied frowning. "Everyone on board knows that you have had to come here because of me. You have to be on board this ship and as a Starfleet officer, why not serve on board too?"

"Will I be in charge of the flowers in the arboretum?" Bailey asked with a grin.

"No, you will be at navigation on the bridge," Jean-Luc replied.

Bailey looked amazed. "You want me on the bridge?" she asked. "Are you mad? You do remember who I am don't you?"

Jean-Luc chuckled. "That is the very reason I want you on the bridge."

"So he can keep his eye on you," Beverly added.

Bailey looked at the Captain for a moment, considering her answer. She liked piloting shuttles; in fact it had been one of her favourite subjects at the academy. "When do I start?" she asked smiling from ear to ear.

"There's no time like the present," Jean-Luc replied. "Report to the bridge at twelve hundred hours and don't be late."

"Yes sir," Bailey replied. "Can I go and get ready now?" she asked Beverly who had suddenly turned quiet again and was staring into her mug of coffee.

Beverly glanced up when she noticed the room had fallen silent. From the expectant expression on her cousin's face, she knew Bailey was waiting for an answer. "Pardon me?" Beverly asked.

"I asked if I could go," Bailey replied frowning.

"What for?" Beverly replied. "You haven't even started your breakfast yet."

"I can get something in my quarters," Bailey replied, realising Beverly had turned cold towards her yet again.

The last thing Beverly wanted was Bailey to leave her alone with Jean-Luc. She knew Jean-Luc was concerned about her just by his tender looks and she couldn't tell him what had happened the night before because she was sure the 'ghost' for want of a better word, would almost certainly kill them both.

"Just finish your breakfast here," Beverly replied. "It will be wasted otherwise. You'll still have over four hours to get ready then."

Bailey slumped back in her chair. She had a good mind to tell Beverly to shove her breakfast where the sun didn't shine. She had only asked to leave in the first place because it was the polite thing to do.

"So Beverly?" Jean-Luc said deciding that now was a good time to change the subject. "Did you read your grandmothers journal yet?"

Beverly glanced at him for a moment before answering. The whole idea of her reading her grandmothers journals was to find out more about the woman sitting at the table with them sulking. "I haven't had a chance yet," she replied in all honestly.

"Oh," he replied realising his error in asking. He gave her an apologetic smile when he realised Bailey was looking in the opposite direction.

Beverly and Jean-Luc sat silently watching Bailey stuff her breakfast down her neck as fast as she possibly could without throwing it back up again. She wiped her mouth clean and bid her farewells before almost running out of the Captain's quarters.

"She probably has someone on Earth she needs to tell her good news to," Jean-Luc said turning his attention back to his companion.

Beverly nodded. "I have to get to Sickbay," Beverly said climbing to her feet. "Let me know if she causes any trouble for you today."

"I will," he replied. "At dinner tonight?"

Beverly glanced at Jean-Luc, "Sure, why not?" she replied, thinking that it would be safer away from her quarters. She didn't want to be alone there, unless she had no choice. She wondered what Jean-Luc would say if she decided to sleep in his quarters for the night.

"Maybe you could bring your grandmothers journal along with you," Jean-Luc suggested.

'And my pyjamas,' Beverly thought to herself as she agreed and headed out the door towards sickbay.

Once in sickbay she went straight into the examination room and performed a level one physical on herself. Absolutely nothing was out of place, except for a few small bruises on her wrists where he had first held her the night before. The bruises were enough to finally convince her that what happened the night before had not been her imagination.

Her bottom lip trembled violently and she had to use all of her self-control in an effort to keep herself from crying there and then. It was sheer torture not being able to run to her friends for help, because she knew without a doubt either she or Jean-Luc would end up dead in the morgue as a result.

Taking a medical tricorder, she slipped unseen from Sickbay and headed back to the scene of the crime to do some investigating. If she couldn't ask for help, she was going to have to solve the crime herself.

She mentally prepared herself, and slowly entered her quarters with her tricorder running and recording everything. She would have done this first thing that morning and skipped breakfast with the Captain. But skipping breakfast might have alerted him, that something was wrong with her.

She spent ten minutes scanning everything in the room and found nothing. There were no energy traces or anything else that might be considered out of the norm to suggest that anything was or had been in her quarters with her the night before and that made her feel uneasy. If she couldn't detected the presence with her tricorder, she had no way of knowing that he was there with her in the room until he decided to let his presence become known to her.

She stood still and silent in the room, listening intently to see if she could hear anything. She heard nothing.

Looking about her bedroom, she began the task of clearing away the aftermath, straightening the furniture and throwing the bed sheets and night dress in the reclaimator for recycling.

It took her half an hour to clear up the broken glass and furniture. She was mildly pleased that she had managed to put up a good fight even though she had lost in the end. She had known at the time that fighting him was a futile attempt considering that she could only touch him when he wanted her to.

She was about to head back to work when a voice right behind her made her jump.

"Have you quite finished?" he asked, brushing her hair away from her neck.

Beverly pulled away violently, trying not to succumb to the overwhelming panic threatening to take over. "Leave me alone!" she screamed at him.

"I don't want to," he replied.

An idea suddenly came to her. "Are you Q?" she asked.

"Q?" he replied in confusion. "No I'm Devon."

"Devon?" Beverly asked. "Devon what?"

"Just Devon," he replied. "I never was blessed with a surname. People like me just don't need them."

"What are people like you?" Beverly's insatiable curiosity was coming ahead of her panic. She needed all the information she could get in order to formulate a plan to get rid of him.

"You know, I don't really know," Devon replied. "I've never met another of my kind."

"What is your kind?" Beverly demanded.

"I don't know!" he yelled back. "You are so stroppy!"

"I am not stroppy!" Beverly yelled back.

"Yes you are!" he snapped back.

"Well what the hell do you expect from me!" she yelled at him, wishing that there were something visible of him that she could punch. It was unbelievingly annoying not being able to see her tormenter.

"I want to be your friend," he replied in a soft voice.

"My friend!" Beverly spat. "My friends don't make me make love to them! I don't know how you got me to give in, but it's not going to happen again!"

"Who are you yelling at?" a voice sounded from the doorway.

Beverly span around to come face to face with Jean-Luc. "Yelling?" she said thinking quickly.

"Yes, I heard you in the corridor," Jean-Luc replied inspecting the room for any other occupants.

Beverly glanced around her, contemplating her response. She felt Devon place his hand in the small of her back, an obvious attempt at making his presence well known to her. "I was rehearsing for my play," Beverly lied expertly.

"When you are supposed to be on duty?" Jean-Luc asked, frowning at her. "I just went down to sickbay to get some advise from you on our upcoming mission and were told that no one had seen or heard from you all day. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Beverly bit her lip, realising that she had just put her foot in it. "I'm sorry Jean-Luc," she said softly. "I did go to work this morning, but I was in the examination room most of the time and I never saw any of my staff. Then I came here to do a bit of research in the peace and quiet. I realise I should have told someone."

As she spoke she watched Jean-Luc walk further into her quarters and through into the bedroom. She was very glad that she had tidied up the mess before his arrival. But was annoyed because he was obviously looking to see if Beverly was indeed alone.

Jean-Luc hadn't been into Beverly's bedroom many times before, and if he had ventured into her most private domain it had only been as a favour to Beverly by collecting something for her. It looked a little bare, as if some things were missing. He turned back to Beverly noticing that she eyed him guiltily as if she were waiting for him to notice something was wrong.

"Well I suggest you get back to sickbay and do some work," he said heading to the door.

"Yes Captain," Beverly replied grabbing her lab coat from the back of her chair.

"Oh and Doctor," Jean-Luc said turning back to her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"That play of yours better be good," he said with a soft but knowing smile.

Beverly surprised him by not smiling back at him. He watched her walk slowly past him heading towards sickbay her shoulders slumped.

"I'll see you tonight for dinner won't I?" he called after her.

"Yes," she replied without her usual enthusiasm.

Jean-Luc frowned as he walked off in the other direction and put her mood down to the fact that her research must not be going as well as she had planned.

Beverly continued to walk down the corridor away from Jean-Luc with Devon's hand still pressed firmly in the small of her back as he walked along beside her. "Leave me alone," she whispered, her voice filled with venom.

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't open that pretty mouth of yours," Devon replied. "We wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents to happen to your Captain would we?"

Although he said it in a light voice, there was no mistaking the obvious threat against Jean-Luc's life. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked almost pitifully as they entered a turbo lift.

"For purely personal gain I assure you," he replied. "But I must take my leave of you now. But I'll be back soon. Will you miss me?"

Beverly's eyes widened in amazement and she answered with a series of expletives, but they fell on deaf ears because she realised that Devon had already departed her company.

With a huff she fell against the turbo lift wall. She felt totally exhausted after a sleepless night and her strenuous physical fight with Devon. There was no doubt in her mind that Devon would most surely return to her quarters that night. There was nothing she could do to stop him.

To her disgust Devon didn't seem that bad in the daylight. He was almost juvenile, as if he were a teenage boy. She wondered why he had picked her out of all the women on the ship he could have done.

End of part two 


	3. Chapter 3

**Dvorovoi Part Three**

**By Karen Page**

Walking back into her office, after letting her staff know that she was about, she sank down behind her computer terminal in full research mode. She had to try and find out what exactly Devon was. Maybe he was an alien species they had encountered before, and if so, how had those people dealt with him. Or to be more precise, how had they got rid of them.

Every minute she had spare during the day, she worked hard at her research and at the end of her shift she still drew a complete blank. The only comparison that matched Devon's profile on some levels was that of Q and he hadn't even seemed to know of their existence. But then again, Devon could have faked his naivety. For all Beverly knew, it could be Q playing his games with her and if so, he was certainly playing a different type of game with her this time.

Beverly didn't want to return to her quarters after her shift, so she headed down to Ten Forward to listen to Will Riker playing his trombone in a little unprompted performance.

She sat alone in a corner booth nursing a drink and silently thanking the lord that Deanna wasn't on board to sense her emotions. If she were it would have made concealing Devon's appearance impossible.

Just as she was thinking of Deanna, she got a call from Data to tell her Deanna was waiting on subspace channels to talk to her.

Not daring to go back to her quarters, Beverly asked Guinan if she could use the terminal in her office to accept Deanna's communiqué.

"Hi Beverly," Deanna said full of smiles.

"Hey," Beverly said falling back on her acting skills as she tried to cover up her feelings.

"I wanted to check up on how things were going with that cousin of yours," Deanna said. "Do I still have to bang your heads together when I get back?"

Beverly laughed. "I think I've sorted it out," she replied; wishing that Bailey were her only problem. "She seems to be settling in a bit better now. Jean-Luc has her on duty at navigation."

"Already!" Deanna exclaimed. "It took Wesley a year to get that position. What did you do to persuade him Beverly?" Deanna asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing," Beverly replied with a grin at Deanna's obvious meaning. "Bailey is a fully qualified Starfleet officer. It took us a couple of days to figure that out. Bailey has a habit of keeping things to herself until she has to. It's very frustrating."

"I bet," Deanna replied.

"I have learnt a few more things about her too," Beverly added.

"Like what?" Deanna's interest was peaked.

"We found out that her mother was murdered and her father was charged with the crime," Beverly said sadly. "He hung himself when he was released from custody on bail to care for his daughter. Bailey found him the next morning."

"That's horrible," Deanna exclaimed. "Has she recovered from the trauma?"

"I'm not entirely sure to be honest," Beverly admitted. "She doesn't want to talk about it. But she does speak fondly of her parents as long as nothing of their death is mentioned."

Deanna nodded slowly. "I will speak with her when I get back. I'll try to get a better picture for you."

"Another thing we found out is that her father was half Betazoid and that she has never received any training on her abilities," Beverly added.

"No training at all?" Deanna asked.

"That's what she said," Beverly replied. "What kind of ability do you think she inherited from him?"

"Probably hardly anything at all. It all depends whether her father was minutely telepathic or empathic like I am. If he inherited some telepathic ability it would make Bailey's abilities stronger."

"Bailey said that she couldn't sense anything unless she tried extremely hard and usually it was fruitless."

"Then I would say her father had lesser abilities than I have. My mother has one of the most sensitive telepathic minds on Betazed," Deanna said, her eyes distant as she thought. "I could use the excuse of homing her empathic abilities as a way of assessing her mental state after her traumatic childhood."

"That sounds like a plan to me. So how is the conference?" Beverly asked attempting to change the subject.

"Well if you must know the conference is mind-numbingly boring!" Deanna laughed. "But!" she added with a gleam in her eye.

"What's that?" Beverly asked.

"I met someone!" Deanna squealed. "He's so handsome, so charming, so gorgeous, so… sexy!"

"Lucky you!" Beverly laughed. "Is it serious?"

"Nope," Deanna giggled. "Just a fling. But I think I could fall in love with him so easily, but I can't."

"Is he married?" Beverly asked in alarm.

"Certainly not!" Deanna laughed. "He won't leave this planet. He's scared of space travel!"

"What!" Beverly exclaimed.

"Yeah well…" Deanna shrugged. "Nobodies perfect."

Beverly shook her head. "Oh well have fun while it lasts. I envy you," she added with a smile.

"Beverly," Deanna said slowly. "Go seduce the Captain! I'm sure he won't mind."

"Don't even go there," Beverly warned. "We've been over this hundreds of times before."

"No we haven't," Deanna replied.

"Of course we have," Beverly protested.

"I may have started the conversation a hundred times or more," Deanna stated. "But you always change the subject."

"Yes well that's exactly what I'm planning to do now," Beverly said slowly. "Read any good books lately?"

Deanna shook her head laughing; her thick dark curls bouncing on her shoulders gently. "I haven't had time to read."

"Typical," Beverly replied. "Anyway I have to go now. I'm having dinner with Jean-Luc in a few minutes."

"Why don't you have sex with him too?" Deanna asked innocently.

"You're only doing this because you know I can't hit you through the veiwscreen!" Beverly laughed.

"Well have a nice evening," Deanna replied with a grin. "And a lovely breakfast in bed!"

Beverly didn't get to answer Deanna because the screen went black. Deanna had cut the communication from her end.

"Damn her," Beverly said shaking her head softly as she went back into Ten Forward and headed towards the exit.

Beverly arrived in Jean-Luc's quarters after the quickest change of clothes in history. She had grabbed a dress from her wardrobe, stripped and threw it on. She grabbed her hairbrush and brushed her hair in the corridor on her way to dinner.

Jean-Luc gave a brief glance at the brush when she dropped it onto his coffee table before joining him at the table. But he soon forgot to ask her why she had bought it with her to dinner. Beverly started the conversation and kept it flowing all night.

Beverly pushed her pudding plate away and took a sip of white wine. "So Bailey was really good on the bridge then. Or are you just saying that to please me?"

"Would I do that?" Jean-Luc fabricated innocence.

"Really Jean-Luc," Beverly laughed. "How was she today?"

"As I said she was good," he replied truthfully. "I think she was a little nervous, but she knew how everything worked. She will make a good navigator."

"Just a good one?" Beverly asked raising an eyebrow.

"It was her first shift," he replied. "You can't really judge someone's potential on their first duty shift."

"Okay," Beverly nodded with a smile.

"Are you going home tonight?"

Beverly nearly choked on her wine. She looked up and Jean-Luc was staring at her expectantly. She wasn't sure if she had heard him right. Was he asking if she was going to stay the night with him? "Pardon me?" she mumbled.

Jean-Luc frowned. "I never said anything," he replied.

"It was me," a voice whispered close to her ear. "Devon. I said are you coming home tonight? I have been waiting for two hours. By the way, you look amazing in that dress."

Beverly swallowed hard and tried hard not to let the fear register on her face. Beverly shook her head lightly and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry," she replied.

"Stop ignoring me!" Devon hissed into her ear.

"Shall we move to the lounge?" Jean-Luc asked getting to his feet.

Beverly nodded and followed him into the living area, she watched Jean-Luc sit down on the couch and she eyed the armchair across from him reluctantly. It was where she would usually sit, but she wanted to be close to Jean-Luc. She decided just to sit down right next to him on the couch.

"What are you doing Beverly?" Devon asked, Beverly could feel his lips against her ear and she shuddered involuntarily.

"Are you cold?" Jean-Luc asked, noticing her shudder.

"No," she smiled at him. "Someone just walked across my grave," she laughed softly.

"Yeah and I will for real if you don't leave now," Devon hissed in her ear. "In fact I'll even tap dance on it!"

Jean-Luc felt a little excited by the fact that Beverly had sat closer to him than normal. But she looked a little distant, as if she had something extremely important on her mind. For the rest of the night, he tried with avail to subtly get her to tell him what was on her mind. He knew Beverly well enough to know that something was troubling her and had been ever since she had taken guardianship over Bailey. He even asked her whether Bailey had upset her. Beverly seemed surprised at his comment.

It was almost two in the morning and Beverly still showed no signs of leaving any time soon. He hoped this was a good promise of things to come, but also knew deep down that it wasn't true. He could tell by her body language that that was not the case.

Half an hour later, Jean-Luc could barely keep his eyes open and was forced to call the evening to an end.

Beverly's eyes glazed over as she got to her feet and reluctantly headed towards the door. Devon had got bored several hours ago and had gone off somewhere. Beverly hoped he had gone for good.

She kissed Jean-Luc goodnight and walked to her quarters. Once inside she stood still just in front of the doors and listened for any sound from Devon.

She couldn't hear anything, not one tiny sound. She took a step further into her quarters and stood still again. Still nothing.

Giving herself a mental shake, she marched with her head held high into her bedroom and collected her dressing gown from the end of the bed.

Beverly felt highly-strung and knew she wouldn't be able to sleep unless she forced herself to relax somehow. Deciding on her usual method, she went into the bathroom and ran a bath.

Sinking down into the hot bubbly water, she forced herself to relax and closed her eyes to the glare of the bathroom light. She stayed in the bath with her eyes closed for ten minutes before willing herself to leave the warmth of the water.

After drying herself with a towel she slipped her favourite dressing gown on and headed into the lounge area to collect her book from the coffee table. She knew there was no chance of getting any sleep with the prospect of another attack from Devon on the horizon. She felt that she needed to be fully awake and on guard whilst she was alone.

Needing something to keep her eyes open, she ordered herself a pot of coffee from the replicator and took it back to the lounge. Setting the coffee down on the table, she flicked through the pages of her book and found her place. Just as she was about to sit down, Devon wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

Beverly screamed in shock and dropped her book and tried hard to pull away from him. But as usual, Devon had made himself translucent and her hands went through his arms as if he wasn't there.

She tried once again in vain to pull away. "Let me go!" she screamed at him.

"If only you would be more co-operative," Devon said with a sigh. "I have no intention of hurting you. I will be a gentle lover."

"Get off!" she yelled once again. She was incredulous at the thought that he wanted to be her lover. What he was doing was against her will whether she gave into him or not and giving in willing was something that Beverly Crusher would never do. It wasn't in her genetic make up to give in without one hell of a fight.

"We can either do this the easy way," Devon said and promptly dropped her on the floor, "Or the hard way. It's up to you."

She tried to wiggle free of his grasp, but found she was securely held down by an unknown weight around her hips. "Why me?" Beverly asked as she gave up struggling. Maybe if she caught him off guard she might be able to free herself.

Devon didn't answer her right away and Beverly wondered whether he was pondering his answer. She wished she could see him.

"Because I need you," Devon replied in a low voice. "And you are exquisite. So pale and lovely; like China in the hand."

Beverly's will was faulting and tears formed in her eyes. Even with the knowledge of what Devon was doing to her, the unselfish part of Beverly was glad of the fact this was happening to her and not someone else that she knew and cared about. Beverly had never been afraid of death, which was one of the reasons that Devon had threatened not only her life, but also that of the life of her closest friend and colleague Jean-Luc Picard. Devon must have realised her indifference to her own death from the look in her eye. That was why he had quickly threatened the life of the man she loved.

Suddenly she felt Devon's hand brush across her cheek in a tender caring manor. She couldn't figure him out. She didn't know his motive and didn't know from one minute to the next what sort of mood he was going to be in. His moods swung in two different directions, from tenderness and loving to hate and the violence that came with it.

A single tear fell onto her porcelain cheek and she wiped at it with the back of her hand. "Please let me go," she begged, trying hard to control her emotions. She couldn't ever remember being so scared and alone in her life.

"Beverly," Devon whispered softly. "You know I can't do that. What I give you will benefit the both of us. It's not just for selfish reasons."

"What ever it is, I don't want it," Beverly replied. "Just leave me alone."

"That's not true," he replied softly. "You don't want to be alone. You pretend that you are fine coming home here alone every single night, but deep down inside you are lonely. You bury yourself deep into your work, trying to fill the void of emptiness inside of you, but it doesn't work does it?"

Beverly didn't answer and suddenly the floodgates on her emotions broke down and she found herself crying helplessly. To her surprise Devon pulled her into his invisible embrace and held her until her tears had subsided.

"I'm here to protect you Beverly," he whispered as he kissed her cheeks dry. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Suddenly his lips were on hers and at her moment of weakness and need she found herself kissing him back. He hands danced across her back and he laid her down gently to the floor. His lips began to travel south, down her jaw line and onto her neck. Slowly he untied her dressing gown and opened it to reveal her naked body to his eyes. She was truly beautiful to him; so soft and milky white.

His hands burned exquisitely into her skin as they travelled over her body. It was years since she had felt this kind of pleasure, and she fell head first into the passionate emotions assaulting her body. He drove her slowly and deliberately to the brink and held her there until she begged for release then took her over the edge and kept with her as she shuddered involuntarily until the sensations passed.

She lay still and unmoving trying to catch her breath as Devon took the same path up her body before kissing her mouth again. Beverly held him to her and kissed him back. She tried hard not to let her the disgust at herself surface and just concentrated on keeping her eyes closed.

After a few moments she realised Devon was allowing her to touch him and gathering all her strength she gave him one almighty shove and scrambled to her feet and out the door, falling into the corridor. She sat half propped up against the opposite bulkhead and quickly scanned the corridor for life. No one was around, for that she was thankful for, especially in her current state of undress.

Quickly she pulled her dressing gown around her and tied up the belt with a double knot before climbing to her feet. Just as she got to her feet, Devon grabbed her wrist. This time however she managed to shake him off and took off down the corridor not exactly aware of where she was heading.

Seconds later she found herself standing outside Jean-Luc's quarters, shaking like a leaf.

"Don't you dare go in there!" Devon shouted down the corridor loudly.

Thinking quickly and almost calmly she used her medical override and went straight into Jean-Luc's quarters closing and securing the doors behind her. It was a futile attempt at safety considering Devon didn't use doors like humanoids did, but it made her feel a little safer.

She stood just in front of the doors for a few moments, trying to gather her wits before venturing further into her Captain's darkened quarters. Quietly she walked to the doorway of Jean-Luc's bedroom and waited until her eyes adjusted to the light and she could see his profile stretched out on his bed. His duvet cover was crumpled down around his feet leaving his gorgeous body open to her lingering gaze. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed beside him and to have him hold her until she fell asleep. But she couldn't do it. It would endanger his life if Devon were still about.

She turned away from him and ran a shaky hand through her thick hair before walking into the lounge and collapsing totally and utterly exhausted on the couch.

Beverly lay in the darkness listening to the sound of Jean-Luc's breathing for what seemed like hours before her exhaustion finally overcame her and she fell into a deep slumber.

The bedside alarm sounded and Jean-Luc reached over and switched it off. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he got to his feet military style and slid his pyjamas off and headed into the bathroom for his shower stark naked. He reached the threshold of the lounge and stopped dead in his tracks. A flash of red caught his eye and he stared in disbelief at the redhead lying fast asleep on his couch. His first thought was 'what the hell is she doing here?' and his next was the fact he was totally naked.

He retraced his steps backwards and silently into his bedroom and grabbed his dressing gown from a hook on the wall and threw it on before venturing back into the lounge and over to Beverly's side.

"Beverly?" he whispered softly, kneeling down at her side. She didn't even stir. "Beverly?" he called again, this time gently shaking her shoulder.

"Ummm…" she mumbled.

"Wake up," he replied softly.

Slowly she opened her eyes and found herself looking into the concerned eyes of her Captain. She blinked and looked about herself, a little disorientated at her strange surroundings. Then the night before all came flooding back to her. She tried to sit up but Jean-Luc pushed her back down onto the couch.

"Stay," he said softly. "Beverly you look exhausted."

"I feel exhausted," she replied with a heavy sigh.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the burning question.

Beverly glanced at him once before averting her gaze. She didn't know whether to tell him she had a nightmare or just hadn't been able to sleep. "I um…" her voice faltered. "I couldn't sleep," she said finally. "I came here to see if you were awake or not. But you weren't so I sat here for a while."

She glanced at him once again to see if he were buying her story. He appeared to be. "I guess I must have fallen asleep," she added, tugging on the short hem of her dressing gown, suddenly self-conscious. She was totally naked apart from the short pink silk dressing gown.

Jean-Luc peered at her for a few moments and climbed to his feet. He wished he could wake up with her here every morning, but quickly changed his line of thought and tried hard to not stare at her long bare legs. "Beverly," he said slowly.

"Yes?" she replied tugging on the hem of the gown again and yawning.

"This is nothing personal," he said slowly. "I think it would be best if you took a day off work today and caught up on some sleep. You're exhausted and you know that a mistake in sickbay could be very dangerous."

"You're relieving me of duty?" she asked, suddenly panicking and not relishing the idea of an entire day fighting off an angry… 'What ever Devon was'. She would have to spend the day in ten forward surrounded by people. There would be no chance of sleep.

"I have to," he replied. "Just go and sleep. I won't put it on your record."

Beverly didn't want to leave. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I can't move," she replied.

Jean-Luc stared at her for a moment. "You can't sleep there," he replied. "I'm working from home this morning and I'll disturb you."

Beverly looked at him with sorrowful eyes. "I'll be able to sleep," she said slowly, thrilled at the idea that he was going to be working here in his quarters and not in his ready room.

"You are a light sleeper," he replied.

"Only when I'm trying to get to sleep," she replied indignantly. "When I'm asleep only a medical emergency will wake me up."

Jean-Luc seemed to consider this for a moment before heading back into his bedroom, he returned a few minutes later carrying his uniform and boots under his arm. "You can sleep in my bed," he said. "If you think you can possibly make it to the bedroom without falling asleep on the way."

"You could carry me there if you're worried about me," Beverly replied with a mischievous grin as she forced her aching body into an upright position.

"You'd love that wouldn't you," Jean-Luc chuckled.

Beverly smiled at him and slowly padded barefoot into his bedroom closing the door behind her. She crawled under his crumpled bed sheets and buried her face in his pillow. Jean-Luc's masculine scent surrounded her and she breathed in deeply. With his scent and Jean-Luc being so near her, Beverly felt safe and secure and relaxed for the first time in days. She soon fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter Two

Bailey woke up blissfully as Devon kissed her wide-awake. She flung her arms around his shoulders and kissed him back, almost forgetting she was supposed to be angry with him. She stopped abruptly and pushed him away.

"What's wrong with you?" Devon asked sitting back.

"You know what's wrong with me," Bailey snapped.

"No I don't," he replied. "I might be a lot of things Bailey, but I certainly am not psychic."

"Let me see you when I speak to you!" Bailey ordered, brushing her hair out of her violet eyes. She watched as Devon took on corporal form and turned into a young devastatingly beautiful man in his early twenties.

"That better?" he asked, reaching for her again. He assumed that she was annoyed at him for not abiding by her rule that he must have corporal form when he was with her in bed.

"No!" she shoved him out of the way and tried to get out of bed, but Devon caught her hand.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" he asked, his bright blue eyes boring into her.

Bailey took one look in his eyes and melted. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stay mad at him when he looked at her in his special way. In fact he made her feel guilty for being angry in the first place. "I missed you last night," she whispered.

"Oh I'm sorry my darling," he whispered softly, using his grip on her hand to pull her into his embrace. "I had something to take care of last night. I lost all track of time, and when I realised and rushed back here to be with you, you were already sound asleep. So I watched you sleeping until I couldn't wait anymore."

"So there is no other woman?" Bailey asked raising an eyebrow.

Devon laughed. "No other woman for me," he lied. "We have been together for ten years. How could I ever leave a beautiful woman like you?"

"Plenty of people do it," she replied nonchalantly.

Devon wished Bailey wasn't empathic everyday of his life with her. It took a lot of his strength to block her ability and she was a strong empath, it was getting tougher everyday. Something inside her was warning her that she should be wary, but he tried hard to keep her from sensing his deception. "Well I told you I was made especially for you. What we have is special."

"I know," Bailey smiled up at him. "My knight in shining armour. Riding to my rescue on an invisible white horse!" she smiled as she spoke the words with flourish.

Devon kissed her forehead. "How about making love to your knight in shining armour?" he asked taking her lips with his and kissing her deeply.

"When you put it like that…" Bailey laughed and threw him down on the bed and straddled his thighs.

Devon gazed up at the beautiful site in front of him. A wanton woman with fiery red hair tousled all about her shoulders. He watched as she lifted her royal blue nightshirt and threw it across the room. His hands immediately covered her full breasts.

She leaned down and kissed his lips. "You know something Devon?" she said as she nibbled along his ear. "I like it when we make up like this."

"Me too," Devon laughed, and soon it would be like this with Beverly whether she wanted it or not.

Bailey was on her way to work after her 'morning-workout' with Devon at her side. He was his usual invisible self, but kept his arms around her shoulders as they walked together towards the bridge.

"So what do you do on the bridge then?" Devon asked, running his fingers tenderly across the back of her neck.

"I drive the ship," she giggled.

"They put _you_ in charge of driving!" he exclaimed.

"I think Captain Picard is mad too," she replied. "I suppose his hasn't heard of the shuttle craft I crashed a few years ago!"

"Don't tell him!" Devon laughed.

"Oh I won't," she replied. "I'm not that stupid!"

"Besides it was all my fault," Devon replied.

Bailey blushed as she remembered having to yank her trousers back up her thighs as the rescue team cut through the door to rescue her. Devon had been quite attentive to her that day. "You're very distracting," she chuckled. "Will I see you tonight?"

"I'm afraid I have some things I need to do," he said slowly.

"What things!" Bailey demanded shoving him away from her. "You're an alien with nothing better to do than follow me around and make love to me! You never had _things to do_ before! You have been distant from me ever since we got here!"

Devon sighed heavily; this was just what he didn't need. "You are being selfish!" he spat.

"I am not being selfish!" she cried. "I just want to see you! Is that too much to ask!"

"I have spent ten years at your side, day and night and now you begrudge me time to myself!" Devon shouted back.

"You have time to yourself all day whilst I'm on duty!" she yelled. "All I want is you there during the night! I miss you!" Tears were beginning to sting the back of her eyes.

"I will try and make it back before you go to bed," Devon replied.

Bailey snorted, "Don't bother yourself! I'm obviously not that important to you anymore!"

Jean-Luc Picard watched the scene from ten meters away in complete confusion. Bailey was standing in the middle of the corridor outside the turbo lift he was heading for, yelling at apparently nobody. He walked closer to them, still unseen.

"If you have quite finished!" Devon snapped at Bailey. "Captain Picard has just witnessed you shouting in an empty corridor. I'll see you later."

Bailey span around and sure enough Captain Picard was walking towards her looking more than concerned. Bailey nearly panicked as she struggled to remember what she had said to Devon, hoping that none of it gave the game away. She was sworn to secrecy about Devon, and couldn't betray a confidence to the man she loved more than anything in the universe. Devon had been with her through the worst and the best times in her life, something that she couldn't say about anyone else.

"Are you okay ensign?" Jean-Luc asked as he came to her side.

"Yes sir," she replied. "It must have looked pretty strange from way over there," she added slowly.

"Yes it did," Jean-Luc replied. "Is everything okay Bailey?" he added, changing from a formal attitude to a more personal one.

"I'm sorry," Bailey laughed. "I was rehearsing for an argument with my boyfriend. It's been driving me crazy all night and I was just hyping myself up whilst I waited for the lift."

"Oh," Jean-Luc said frowning. "Well I suggest you use a mirror next time and do it in the privacy of your quarters."

"Yes sir," Bailey said sheepishly as the lift arrived and they both went in and headed for the bridge.

Jean-Luc had driven himself mad all afternoon, trying to remember if Bailey had mentioned having a boyfriend before. It had bothered him so much that he had written Bailey's name twice by accident on his reports before deciding he had better consult Beverly before he got himself into bother with the powers that be.

He asked the computer for Beverly's location and learned that she was still in his quarters. He assumed she must still be asleep and glanced at the chronometer to see that it was almost seventeen hundred hours. It was high time for Beverly to be up anyway; so he went to wake her up.

Beverly was laying in his bed when he arrived. He watched her tossing and turning for a moment before letting her know he was there. She looked hot and fevered as he neared the bed.

"Beverly?" he whispered softly, Beverly looked at him blankly, her chest heaving as if she were trying to catch her breath. "Are you sick?" he asked in concern.

"No," she snapped after what seemed like hours.

Jean-Luc wondered if she were always this grumpy when she awoke. "You look a little… flustered."

Beverly felt like punching Jean-Luc. If it weren't for him leaving for work without waking her up before he left, she wouldn't have just had another encounter with a very angry… 'Something'. In fact Devon was still there when Jean-Luc had arrived, and Devon hadn't quite finished and made damn sure he did before releasing her from his vice tight grip on her upper arms.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, noticing for the first time that her dressing gown was on the floor beside the bed. On further examination it appeared that Beverly was totally naked underneath his sheets. Suddenly the room felt a little hot, he caught his breath and stood next to the bed just until he heard her answer before returning to his living area to breathe again. At least she had slept well.

"I have something to ask you," he called into the bedroom, he could hear Beverly fumbling about in his bedroom with the bed sheets and hoped she was going to come out and join him.

"About what?" Beverly called back, stopping in her tracks, her dressing gown halfway up her arms. Did he know about Devon? What had he actually seen when he had arrived?

"About Bailey," he replied casually as he ordered him and Beverly some tea from the replicator.

Beverly heaved a sigh of relief and continued to get herself together before heading into the lounge to join him. "What about her?" she asked flopping down into a seat across from Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc watched Beverly run her fingers through her long hair, her fingers catching in the knots. He would have offered her his hairbrush if he had one. "I saw Bailey this morning," he said slowly, trying to keep his eyes from her bare legs. Beverly was very distracting when she sat barely covered and preening herself.

"What has she done now?" Beverly asked with a sigh.

"Nothing," Jean-Luc laughed reassuringly. "I caught her rehearsing for an argument in the middle of deck ten."

Beverly frowned. "Rehearsing?" she asked perplexed.

"She told me she was practicing what she was going to say to her boyfriend when she next saw him," he explained.

Beverly frowned, "Boyfriend?" she asked.

"You didn't know either?" he replied with a grin.

Beverly yawned, "That girl has far too many secrets for someone her age."

"Maybe you should talk to her," he suggested.

"Oh I intend to," Beverly replied. "Right now in fact. She should be off duty now." Beverly got to her feet and headed towards the door.

"Beverly?" Jean-Luc said, barely concealing his mirth.

"Yes?" she replied glancing over her shoulder.

"You're wearing your dressing gown," he replied seriously.

Beverly glanced down at herself and blushed. "I… um… can you do me a favour Jean-Luc?" she asked sweetly.

"And what would that be?" he replied, finally allowing himself to laugh.

"Go get me some clothes please," she smiled and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"Yes sir," he laughed and got to his feet. "What would you like to wear?"

"I'm not bothered. Anything that takes your fancy," she replied. "Thank you."

'_Anything that takes my fancy_', Jean-Luc thought as he headed towards her quarters. That left boundless erotic thoughts rushing through his head. He almost blushed at the thought of Beverly wearing a white silk negligee.

Beverly meanwhile decided that she had better have a quick shower before dressing. She locked herself in the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Soon the room was filled with steam, she just stood watching with her back pressed to the door trying to get hold of her composure. Devon had caught her completely off guard, and for the first few passionate kisses as he kissed her awake, in her mind she had thought she was kissing Jean-Luc and had actually enjoyed it. She could even smell him, but realised quickly it was because she was in his bed.

She heard a squeak and glanced up. She noticed a writing appearing in the mirror above the sink. The words 'HELLO BEVERLY' were written in the mirror and followed by a smiley face.

"Leave me alone!" Beverly screamed suddenly.

"Damn it!" Devon snapped back. "You made me jump!"

"I made you jump!" Beverly cried in disbelief.

"What was done, had to be done," he replied. "It's all part of the master plan."

"What master plan?" Beverly asked curiously. She still hadn't found out who or what Devon really was.

"Oh don't you worry about that," he replied. "You'll know soon enough."

"What will happen?" she asked in exasperation. She waited a moment and didn't get any form of an answer. "Devon, what will happen!" she demanded. Still no answer, it took her a moment to realise Devon had disappeared on her again.

"Beverly?"

Beverly jumped at the sound of Jean-Luc's voice through the door. "Yes?" she replied.

"I was just wondering if you were in there or if you had decided to go and visit Bailey in your dressing gown after all," he replied, his voice tinged with humour.

"Very funny," Beverly replied sarcastically. "You don't mind if I take a quick shower do you?"

"No, go ahead," he replied. "Do you want your clothes in there with you before you go in?"

Beverly unlocked the door and took the clothes from him. "Thank you Jean-Luc," she replied. "I don't know what I would do with out you."

'_I know what I want to do with you_,' Jean-Luc thought as she went back into the bathroom closing the door behind her.

Beverly came back out fifteen minutes later fully dressed in what Jean-Luc had given her. He had also selected her underwear and she felt a little strange knowing Jean-Luc knew what she was wearing underneath the blue dress he had also chosen for her to wear.

"I thought of everything you needed and brought it along," Jean-Luc smiled proudly.

Beverly smiled and thought he looked adorable. "Thank you once again."

"No problem," he replied. "And how about making the bed before you leave?"

Beverly blushed and went into the bedroom only to find Jean-Luc had already done it. "Smart arse," Beverly quipped before heading towards the door. "How about dinner tonight?" she asked hopefully. She didn't want to be alone for the night.

'_Three nights in a row_' Jean-Luc thought wistfully. "That would be lovely."

"Great!" she smiled, almost giving away her relief at not having to spend the evening in ten forward. You just couldn't relax quietly in that room.

"See you later then," he smiled.

"Sure, and I'll tell you exactly what, who etc Bailey's boyfriend is," she smiled quickly and went out the door.

Beverly found Bailey in sickbay sitting on a bed alone a few minutes later. "What's happened?" she asked coming up on Bailey from behind.

Bailey jumped and looked over her shoulder and watched as her cousin walked around the bio bed picking up the medical tricorder from the side as she went. "What are you doing here?" Bailey asked.

"I came to find you," Beverly replied running the tricorder over Bailey.

"Well I'm fine thank you," Bailey said taking the tricorder from Beverly's hands. "Why do you always assume something happened?"

"I don't," Beverly replied a little frustrated that Bailey had confiscated her tricorder.

Bailey raised one eyebrow and looked her cousin straight in the eye. "You just asked me what happened. Did it occur to you that I might be ill?"

"Are you?" Beverly asked seriously.

"Just a headache," Bailey shrugged. "Nothing serious."

"Let me get a…" Beverly began.

"Dr Selar has already treated me," Bailey interrupted. "But I think she had an emergency or something because she never told me I could go and I've been waiting for twenty minutes and seen no one."

"What did she give you?" Beverly asked.

Bailey grinned. "You just can't switch off can you?"

"Switch off what?"

"Doctor mode," Bailey replied sliding off the bed. "Well I'm fed up of waiting."

"Before we go, I'll just check today's log," Beverly said disappearing into her office.

Bailey shook her head and chuckled before following Beverly inside. "What did you want to see me about anyway?"

"Just a chat," Beverly replied. "That's okay isn't it?"

Bailey shrugged. "Depends what it's about."

"Your boyfriend," Beverly replied as she scrolled through the day's events on the computer.

Bailey's eyes widened and her face paled but Beverly failed to notice because she was engrossed in a report about a cancer scare. "What boyfriend?"

Beverly looked up. "How many have you got?" she exclaimed. "Bailey, you've only been on board for three days!"

Suddenly it twigged. The Captain must have said something about her one-sided conversation in the corridor. "Oh!" she laughed. Thinking quickly, she remembered Jamie Peitx, the lieutenant that had taken a shine to her. She would have to take him up on his offer of dinner. "Jamie you mean?"

"Um… well if that's his name, then I guess I mean him," Beverly replied.

Luckily Bailey had met him several times before at the academy and he had arrived on board this ship only a few weeks ago. "Jamie and I met a few months ago. It's an on and off thing. All we seem to do is fight."

"That's… healthy I guess," Beverly replied raising an eyebrow.

"Well I do like arguing," Bailey laughed.

"What's he like?" Beverly asked with a slanted grin. "I think I should fill in for Deanna considering she's not here."

"Deanna?"

"She is your usual gossipmonger," Beverly smiled at the thought of her friend. "She wants all the details, she drives me crazy sometimes. But that's what friends are for I suppose."

"So you want all the details then I presume?" Bailey surmised with one raised eyebrow.

"That's right!" Beverly flashed her a smile. "Spill it."

Bailey took the seat opposite Beverly, but kept her mouth shut. Beverly looked up at her expectantly.

"Well?" she asked as she pulled out the chair and sank down into it.

"You wouldn't tell me anything about your relationship," Bailey replied, "So why should I tell you about mine?"

Beverly sighed, "I haven't got any kind of relationship with anyone."

"What about the Captain?" Bailey asked mischievously.

Beverly rolled her eyes. "We are friends, that's all."

"That's what you said before," Bailey replied. "But I don't believe you."

"Well what you believe is your business," Beverly replied dismissively.

Bailey giggled as she watched Beverly pretend to be engrossed in a report on the computer. "The very reason you're reluctant to talk about it, fuels my imagination!"

"Be quiet," Beverly replied.

"After dark, when everyone is asleep, you put on your sexiest lingerie and sneak down the corridor past Will Riker's quarters to meet your waiting lover," Bailey giggled at the blush creeping up Beverly's face.

"Shut up," Beverly replied quietly.

"Or perhaps, he arrives in your quarters in the dead of the night and kisses your lips until you open your big blue eyes. You spend hours making passionate love and he leaves early in the morning with a promise to be back the following night."

"You've defiantly got a vivid imagination."

"Or!" Bailey cried. "You meet up on the holodeck and pretend to be someone else. So that your roles in real life aren't compromised."

"That's enough!" Beverly said, finally losing her patience.

"Spoil sport," Bailey said with a huff. "I was beginning to enjoy that. Perhaps I'll write a book entitled 'The Captain of her Heart'. What do you think?"

"I think you should keep quiet," Beverly replied.

Bailey laughed. "So tell me what's going on with you guys. That way I won't have to use my imagination."

"No," Beverly replied sternly.

"I Bailey Howard, am now more than ever convinced that there is something going on between you two," she announced with flourish.

Beverly switched the computer terminal off suddenly and walked around the desk taking her cousins arm forcibly and guiding her out of sickbay towards the turbolift.

"Where are we going?" Bailey laughed. "Are you going to shot me out the nearest airlock?"

"As much as I would like to, I think I would get caught," Beverly replied. "We need to have a serious chat and my office is not the place for it."

"Ooh a serious chat," Bailey giggled. "I'm not very good at those."

Beverly rolled her eyes. "Well you had better be a quick learner!"

They arrived at Bailey's quarters a few minutes later and went inside.

"Excuse the mess," Bailey said blushing crimson. The mess in her quarters clearly indicated what she had been up to that morning with Devon. She quickly closed the bedroom door while Beverly took a seat in the lounge.

"I really want _all_ the details about this Jamie of yours," Beverly giggled. She liked the fact it was Bailey's turn to be embarrassed.

"Haven't you met him?" Bailey asked as she moved to the replicator.

"I don't think so," Beverly shrugged.

"Because he broke his leg two weeks ago skiing on the holodeck."

"Oh! Him!" the Doctor exclaimed. "He's very handsome!"

"I know!" Bailey grinned. Although handsome wasn't the first thing that came to her mind. He knew he was handsome and acted like he was God's gift to women. When she had first met Jamie about two years ago, he had taken a shine to her immediately. He claimed she was the first woman he had fallen in love with. Finding him here on board yesterday had annoyed her immensely. Devon hadn't liked him at all, and seemed to be jealous of the attention. So far Devon hadn't noticed that Jamie was on board because he was too preoccupied with his own life.

"So," Bailey said slowly. "This serious chat we're about to have. What's it about and are you hungry?"

"I am always hungry," Beverly said with a grin.

"Me too!" Bailey said. "Maybe we have a lot more in common that our hair colour!"

"I think we do," Beverly replied. "I am going to Jean-Luc's for dinner tonight, so I'll just have a ham salad sandwich and a cup of lemon tea."

Bailey raised her eyebrow. "Dinner with the Captain… AGAIN!"

"Yes, I invited myself."

"And nothing is going on?" Bailey asked bringing the food over to the coffee table between them.

"Except for our friendship, nothing is going on between us," Beverly stated again.

"I see," Bailey replied sceptically.

"Jean-Luc and I have been friends for over thirty years," Beverly explained, ignoring the grin on her cousin's face. "He was my late husbands best friend."

"Wesley's father?" Bailey asked.

"Yes, that's right," Beverly replied softly. "Jack died on an away mission whilst under the command of Jean-Luc."

Bailey looked down, she could sense the turmoil of emotions beneath Beverly's façade of indifference even after all these years. Also Bailey could sense her love for Jean-Luc and she frowned into her tea. It was the first time she had really sensed anything from Beverly at all. In fact it was the first time she had been able to sense anyone on board this ship since she had arrived three days ago. She supposed it had something to do with the fact that an empath on board was the norm and that everyone was a little guarded with his or her feelings.

"How old was Wesley when Jack died?" Bailey asked softly.

"He had just turned five," Beverly replied. "It was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through in my entire life."

"The hardest thing I have ever had to go through was my mothers murder and finding my dad…" Bailey choked on the words. "My dad hanging in the kitchen."

Beverly looked up at Bailey and watched her bottom lip tremble. Jean-Luc had been right; Bailey wasn't over her parent's death. She quickly got up and sat on the arm of Bailey's chair and pulled her cousin into her embrace.

Bailey reluctantly went into Beverly's arms. She buried her face in Beverly's stomach and soon heartbreaking sobs followed. "Dad stayed with me until I was asleep," she whispered. "I couldn't stop crying. I knew what death was. Mum had told me about it all before. Because she was a Doctor."

Beverly's heart was breaking as she gently rocked Bailey backwards and forwards as she held her close. She remembered her grandmother's journals and her mental note to go through the logs to see if Bailey had indeed visited her grandmother all those years ago and also to see why her grandmother had sent the young girl away.

"I didn't know he was going to kill himself," Bailey whispered. "I should have stopped him."

"Bailey you were only nine years old. It wasn't your fault. How could you have known at that age what your father was going to do?" Beverly whispered back, brushing Bailey's hair away from her face. "My parent's died when I was a child too."

That caught Bailey's attention and she looked up into Beverly's eyes. "How?" she asked simply.

"They were amongst the thousands killed on Arveda Three," she looked down. "My grandmother and I were lucky. We managed to escape." Beverly noticed Bailey was looking at her with considerable interest. Her brilliant violet eyes burned with intensity. "It took me years to come to terms with the trauma. But the truth is simple, people never get over things like this, you just learn to live with it. Not a day goes by when I don't think of my parent's. Even at my age!"

"Did you ever wonder if there was something you could have done to save them?" Bailey asked softly. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Beverly must have been through when the small colony had been raided. The women were raped and the men were murdered. The raiders had all carried diseases and had purposely passed it onto the women of the colony. They were left dying and were treated by the few people that had managed to escape after the raiders had left. Beverly's grandmother Felisa had been one of the lucky ones. She had managed to escape, taking Beverly screaming and crying for her mother with her.

"I blamed my grandmother for a while," Beverly replied.. "Because she wouldn't let me go back and rescue my parents. I was only seven at the time and I couldn't have done anything to help them even if I had tried. It took me a while to realise that my Nana had in fact saved my life by dragging me away into the forest."

Bailey nodded. "Do you have a hard time trusting people?" she asked as Beverly lay down on the couch taking her with her in her arms.

"Do you?" Beverly replied softly.

Bailey nodded. "I spent so much time alone when I lived with Elizabeth and Lesley. I just spent all my time off school in my room reading, writing or listening to music. I'm not very good at talking to people. I'm very shy, especially in a crowd of people. I just sit and listen to what's going on. Anyway, when I have actually said something, they usually ignore me anyway."

"What about your friends?" Beverly asked.

Bailey shrugged. "I don't really have any. There was my friend Andrew, but he and I were always fighting. We weren't close or anything. We just went out to the library together for school work and stuff."

"Fighting?" Beverly asked.

"He annoyed the hell out of me. He's such a girl! He would ignore me for days on end if I said something he didn't agree with. But I had no one else to be with, so we stuck with each other."

End of part three 


	4. Chapter 4

**Dvorovoi Part Four**

**By Karen Page**

Beverly smiled. "To answer your question about me trusting people," she began. "I have no problem trusting people at work. But I am very wary of people in my private life."

"Why?" Bailey asked lifting her head from Beverly's chest and looking her in the eye.

"I have been hurt badly more times than I care to remember," Beverly replied. "Jack's death was the hardest thing I have ever been through. I guess I'm trying to protect myself from getting hurt all over again."

"By not having a relationship with anyone?" Bailey frowned.

Beverly shrugged. "I don't intentionally do it to myself."

"But aren't you lonely?" Bailey asked, finally understanding her cousin.

"I don't even think about it Bailey," she replied. "I have been this way for years and years and it just feels normal for me."

"You're stuck in a rut," Bailey replied with a grin.

"I never thought of it like that," Beverly smiled. "I guess I am. So I take it this means that you believe Jean-Luc and I are just good friends?"

"Very, very good friends," Bailey giggled.

"I feel very uncomfortable when people talk that way about Jean-Luc and I," Beverly warned gently. "I'd prefer it if you didn't do it."

"Yes sir!" Bailey saluted her cousin. "Just promise me something."

"Depends on what you're asking," Beverly replied.

"That you think again about the differences between a comfortable existence and a happy one," Bailey replied cryptically.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can sense you tonight," Bailey replied with a small smile. "I know what you really feel for the Captain." Beverly looked alarmed. "But it's just between you and me. I will not say a word to anyone."

"I um…" words failed her.

"Or is it unrequited love?" Bailey asked with a small frown.

"Doesn't he love me?" Beverly asked urgently. "Has he stopped?"

Bailey shook her head softly and grinned. "I have no idea."

Beverly blushed profoundly at her momentary weakness. She couldn't believe Bailey had just got her to confess her love for Jean-Luc without even trying hard. And not only that, she had also allowed her fear that Jean-Luc no longer loved her be known. She covered her face with her hands and moaned.

Bailey couldn't hide her mirth any longer and giggled at Beverly's expense. "You're so funny."

"This isn't funny Bailey," Beverly replied sternly.

"I bet you have never spoken to someone about this before have you?" Bailey asked tugging Beverly's hair gently. Beverly shook her head. "Don't take it personally. I have found over the years that people tend to confess their darkest secrets to me even if I don't want them to."

"Bailey, do you know how Jean-Luc feels about me?" Beverly asked softly, staring intently into her Betazoid cousin's bright violet eyes.

"Why haven't you asked Deanna?" Bailey replied annoyingly instead of giving a straight answer.

"Because she… she isn't allowed to divulge personal details about the crew and especially not the Captain," Beverly replied. "Life must be easy being able to know what someone else is feeling. Deanna never seems to have any trouble."

"Now the real reason," Bailey asked with a gleam in her eye.

"Damnit!" Beverly cursed. "Because I haven't even asked her. There, are you satisfied now?"

Bailey laughed. "To be honest, apart from the obvious physical attraction to you, I can't tell how he feels at all. He's like a brick wall to me."

Beverly sighed, and her mouth turned slightly down at the edges. "You really can't?" she asked sadly.

"No, not at all I'm afraid," Bailey smiled ruefully. Bailey watched her cousins face fall in disappointment. "Hey," she said softly to make sure Beverly was paying full attention to her. "Has he told you he loved you before?"

Beverly nodded slowly, "Well sort of…" her voice trailed off. Beverly told her the story about Kesprytt and what had happened that night in Jean-Luc's quarters.

After her story, Beverly looked at Bailey expectantly. She hadn't ever spoken directly about this before, not even to Deanna. "Well?" she asked when Bailey remained silent longer than her patience ran.

"Why on Earth did you leave him!" Bailey exclaimed.

"I told you why," Beverly replied. "I wasn't ready."

"And you were more scared than you have ever been in your life," Bailey filled in. "He took you by surprise and for days, maybe weeks, perhaps even a year after that night you still believed that you made the correct decision. Then perhaps something happened that made you change your mind."

Beverly looked at her cousin and frowned. Bailey was certainly going to make a fine ship's Counsellor one day. "I guess so…" she said softly.

"What was it?" Bailey asked with interest. "Another romantic candlelit dinner?"

Beverly shook her head. Candlelit dinners were the norm when it came to having dinner with her favourite Captain. "No, that's not it."

"Jealousy?" Bailey surmised. "He had another woman and you didn't like it."

"No I didn't," Beverly laughed and sat up. "But I never said a word to him about it and it fizzled out."

"What your jealousy or their relationship?" Bailey asked smiling.

"You know if you want to become a Counsellor, you can't keep grinning like a Cheshire cat all the time," Beverly replied indignantly as she narrowed her eyes at Bailey who was laying on her back on the couch with her legs still laying on Beverly's lap. "Their relationship fizzled out. After we left the planet, he never mentioned her again. Well at least not in front of me."

Bailey nodded seriously. "Shouldn't you be the one lying down then and not me?" she giggled.

"Ha ha," Beverly replied rolling her eyes. "Seriously though, thank you for letting me get this off my chest."

"And to think I thought you were the one that was going to help me," Bailey giggled, even though deep down she knew inside that she really did want Beverly's help.

"I will help you," Beverly replied softly. "On one condition."

Bailey looked dubious, but she nodded slowly. "And what is that condition?"

"That you keep your mouth shut about everything we have spoken about tonight. It does not leave these four walls okay?" Beverly warned.

"That's a deal," Bailey nodded.

"And furthermore…" Beverly began.

"Wait a minute," Bailey interrupted. "You said one condition."

"Well you don't have a choice about this one," Beverly replied. "You are not to keep secrets from me anymore. I want you to be honest with me and never lie."

Bailey closed her eyes for a moment. "You know when you make a promise to someone?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Beverly replied.

"You should never break it should you?"

"No," Beverly replied.

"No matter what?"

"Not unless someone would get hurt or even die, that kind of thing," Beverly replied, wondering where Bailey was going with this.

"Okay," Bailey seemed satisfied with Beverly's answer. Devon had made her promise never to tell anyone he existed. "Well then I agree to your terms."

"Good," Beverly replied happily.

The doorbell rang breaking their comfortable silence. Bailey called come and the doors opened and Jean-Luc came in.

"I see you two are getting along better," he said after the usual greetings. Bailey was still lying on the couch with her legs on Beverly's lap.

"Much better," Beverly replied with a smile. "We have had a nice long chat."

"Everything is going to be fine," Bailey replied, pulling herself up into a seated position.

"That's good news," Jean-Luc replied with a smile.

"I think I will like it here after all," Bailey said winking at Beverly.

Beverly shot her a warning glance. "Have you come to get me for dinner?" she asked Jean-Luc.

"Yes," Jean-Luc replied. "I was wondering where you had got to."

"Is that the time already!" Beverly asked amazed at how the time had flown by. It was almost 2030 hours.

"Would you like to join us Bailey?" Jean-Luc asked out of courtesy.

"She probably has a date with Jamie," Beverly teased.

Bailey glanced at Beverly for a moment. She didn't have a date with Jamie, but she knew she had got to get one and fast too. "Sorry," she said with a wry smile. "I could come another night perhaps."

"That would be lovely," Jean-Luc smiled. "Shall we go then?" he asked Beverly.

"Sure," Beverly climbed to her feet. "You be careful," she said to Bailey on her way to the door.

"I always am," Bailey replied indignantly. She watched them leave before jumping to her feet. She had to dress to kill and go and flirt big time around Jamie.

"Have a nice chat?"

Bailey jumped and spun around to find Devon leaning against the frame of the bedroom doorway. "Devon! How many times have I told you not to do that!"

"Too many to count," he replied. "What do you want me to do? Ring the doorchime?"

"Well that would make a nice change," Bailey replied as she searched through her wardrobe for something sexy to wear to Ten Forward.

"Where are you going?" Devon asked as Bailey through her favourite itsy-bitsy dress on the bed.

"I am going out to save your butt!" Bailey exclaimed. "You got me into trouble this afternoon."

"What did you say to baldy?" Devon replied as he threw himself down onto Bailey's bed.

"I told him that I was rehearsing for an argument with my boyfriend," Bailey explained. "So naturally he went and told Beverly and now I have to get a date!"

"A date!" Devon exclaimed.

"Yes a date!" Bailey replied. "I will go out with him a few times and then break it off. That way the Captain and Beverly won't suspect anything is going on."

"I'm not happy about this," Devon replied sourly.

"Well you haven't been around too much yourself lately," Bailey hissed. "I am not the kind of woman who likes to be alone."

"I am with you during the day," Devon replied. "I'm here now."

"During the day I am at work!"

"Well that's your fault," Devon shrugged. "What can I say?"

"Where do you go at night anyway?" Bailey demanded. "Have you got another woman?"

"That is impossible," Devon replied. "I can only be with you. We are bonded." Never having mentioned that he could also mate with her female relatives.

"Doesn't mean you can't go and look," Bailey replied.

"If you must know I have a hobby," he replied. "And it can only be done at night."

"Star gazing can be done all day in space," Bailey snapped.

"It's not star gazing," Devon replied. "It's a secret."

Bailey rolled her eyes. "Now if you don't mind, I have to get a bath and get ready."

"I do mind actually," he replied getting up from the bed. "Let me love you before your bath," he whispered taking her shoulders from behind.

"Sod off!" Bailey snapped. "I am still mad at you!"

Devon spun her around and held her tightly as he kissed her. She fought against him, but stopped when the passion of the kiss took over. He lowered her to the bed and Bailey succumbed and let him love her.

Two hours later, Bailey awoke snuggled up beneath the bedcovers alone. She forced herself out of bed and cursed Devon for being able to do that to her as she went to the bathroom to get showered and changed. It was late now and she just hoped Jamie hadn't gone home.

It was getting late and once again, Jean-Luc noticed that Beverly was reluctant to leave. She was laid back and relaxing on his couch holding a glass of white wine on her belly by the stem of the glass. "I wonder what Bailey's up to," she asked breaking the ten minutes of companionable silence.

Jean-Luc looked up from the play Beverly had asked him to read. "She is probably tucked up in bed with her teddy bear," he replied with a wistful smile.

"Her teddy bear?" Beverly laughed at him. "Jean-Luc, I do believe you think Bailey is innocent and sweet."

"I was joking," he replied, although it wasn't altogether true.

"Well I can assure you that she isn't," Beverly replied staring up at the ceiling. "She is a lot more grown up than Wesley ever was at her age. Sometimes she appears sweet and innocent, but I think that's her way of getting away with murder."

"She probably had to grow up faster than normal children," Jean-Luc replied.

"She did on the outside," she replied softly. "But I'm not so sure. She seemed very vulnerable this evening."

"How so?"

"Oh it was just something she said," Beverly replied. "We spoke about her parents murder and how she believes that she could have stopped her father committing suicide."

"But that's impossible," Jean-Luc replied. "She was far too young to have known what her father was about to do."

"That's what I told her," Beverly replied.

"Good," Jean-Luc replied.

"So how is the play so far?" she asked brightly.

"It's interesting," Jean-Luc replied returning to the pad and offering no further comments. Beverly seemed satisfied, so he began to read again.

Five minutes later he looked up to find Beverly watching him intently. She smiled when she realised he was looking right back at her. "Is this based on Ronin?" he asked.

Beverly looked down and gave him a wry smile. "I guess so," she replied softly. "It was just something I started on my break the other day."

Jean-Luc nodded and went back to reading the play again. He was wondering how Beverly ever intended to recreate this play in real life. It was all very erotic. An invisible man suddenly appearing in the lead characters life and making love to her. He supposed there weren't many roles to be filled considering the male lead was invisible.

"So this invisible man feels real to the touch?" he asked as he came to where Beverly had ended the play in the middle of a scene.

Beverly nodded. "If I… well she, closes her eyes and reaches out and touches him, it's as if there is a man with her. She can feel every muscle and hair and the warmth of his skin."

Jean-Luc seemed to consider it for a while. "Well it seems rather… spooky," he said with a smile. "I wouldn't like to meet this invisible man on a dark night. Is this for Halloween?"

Beverly nodded in agreement. If only it were true. But Beverly now knew that if something happened to her, Jean-Luc would have a clue into finding out what had caused it. It was a long shot and she was well aware of that fact.

Jean-Luc watched Beverly's face fall and took another glance at the chronometer. It was well into the early hours of their next working day and he was tired. He turned back to Beverly, hoping to end the evening, but the expression on her beautiful face made him stop. "Beverly?" he asked gently.

Beverly looked up from her lap. "Yes?" she replied.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his face full of concern.

"I'm okay," she replied with a forced smile.

Jean-Luc studied her for a moment; he didn't believe that she was telling him the truth. And also something told him that he would wake up and find Beverly asleep on his couch again in the morning. "You don't want to go home again do you?" he said.

It hit Beverly right out of the blue. She wasn't sure she had heard him right. Was he asking her if she wanted to stay the night with him? "Pardon me?" she mumbled.

"You didn't really have a problem sleeping last night did you?" he surmised. "What happened?"

Beverly looked down. "I keep having nightmares," she replied falling back on her second excuse.

"Ah, so you don't want to go to sleep?" he asked softly.

"I do want to go to sleep," she replied, "But as soon as I do I get the same thing."

"Well I suggest you make good use of Deanna's help when she arrives back on board," Jean-Luc smiled softly.

"Don't worry I fully intend to do so," Beverly replied as she climbed to her feet and headed towards the door.

Jean-Luc got to his feet and followed her to see her out. "Well I hope you can get some sleep tonight at least," he said with a soft smile as he leaned over and kissed her goodnight on the cheek. "Good night."

"Good night," she replied as she walked through the doors.

Beverly was tempted to not even go back to her quarters that night, but she felt a little braver and she really wanted to read her grandmothers journal about Bailey's visit, she decided to go.

She walked inside with an aura of confidence around her that wasn't what she was feeling inside. She walked straight over to her bookcase and scanned through the spines of the books for the year that Bailey would have visited her grandmother all those years ago.

Taking the book, she sat down on the end of her bed and flipped through the pages to the month that if she remembered correctly, was the month that Bailey's parents died.

She began reading the entries carefully and didn't come across Bailey's name until the last day of November.

Beverly was disappointed to find that her grandmother had hardly mentioned Bailey at all. It basically said that the child was not to be trusted, and that there was something about the child that had her worried.

Beverly was even more surprised to find a note her grandmother had written on the very last line of the page to remind herself to talk to Beverly about this and see if she wanted to bring up Bailey.

Beverly couldn't remember ever speaking to her grandmother about Bailey and she was sure that she would have remembered something as important as this. It was ten years ago, around the time that Jean-Luc had been taken by the Borg. She supposed that she could have had a lot on her mind at the time.

She was about to get up and go back and check through the letters she had saved from her grandmother when she felt the bed sink beside her as though someone had taken a seat beside her. She jumped to her feet and tried to get away but as usual Devon was too fast for her. He grabbed her waist from behind and pulled her back so that she was once again sitting on the bed beside him.

"You know something," Devon said slowly. "You're really beginning to annoy me."

Beverly sighed heavily and tried to hold back the tears. Her spirit was breaking and she didn't know how much longer she could take the constant mental and physical abuse. "How am I annoying you!" she demanded.

"Taking your time leaving Baldies company!" he yelled back. "I haven't got much time and you are wasting it!"

"Oh well I'm so sorry!" Beverly yelled sarcastically. "You have got some nerve! What do you want me to do! Lie back and let you?"

"I want you!" he yelled back. "I am making love to you! I love you!"

Beverly's bottom lips trembled and fresh tears spilled over her cheeks. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" she asked in a small voice. "If you go now I won't tell anyone about you."

"You won't tell anyone full stop. I have the power to put an end to you. And I'm not scared to do it," he replied. "I am not going anywhere either," he added flippantly. "You'll just have to get used to me being around."

"I don't want you around!" Beverly cried.

"Listen, as I've said before," Devon replied. "We can either do this the hard way or the easy way. Right now you seem to be opting for the hard way."

"Is there an easy way?" Beverly demanded. "I'm not one for backing down from a fight and I am never going to do it! I don't know what your plan is, but what ever it is, I can tell you know it's not going to happen!"

"It's already begun," Devon replied as he moved and shoved her down on the bed.

Beverly could feel his knees pushing into her hips either side of her and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the inevitable. "Let go of me!" she screamed.

"Is it bothering you that I'm invisible?" Devon asked, his voice close to her ear.

Beverly struggled against his grip, but did not dignify him with an answer. She tried grabbing the arms that held her firmly down to the bed by her shoulders, but it was as if nothing were there.

"Open your eyes," Devon said in a low voice.

"No!" Beverly spat as she tried to buck him away with her hips.

"Open your god damn eyes!" he yelled directly in her face.

His torrent of swear words shocked her into doing as he asked. The vision that greeted her made her gasp in surprise and fear. Above her and pinning her down to the bed was the most handsome man she had ever seen. The most handsome totally naked man she had ever seen! He was about her age and had thick dark hair and glowing green eyes. His mouth was sensual and his body was magnificent. She found her eyes drawn to his genitals without even being aware of the fact.

She snatched her eyes away and looked back into his smiling face. "Whoa…" she breathed.

"Like what you see?" he asked with a lustful gleam in his eye. He had the power to recreate himself in the image of his host-to-be's fantasy man.

"I… um," Beverly was totally lost for words.

Devon smiled. "See, its not so bad is it," he said softly.

Beverly was trying frantically to come up with a way to get him to let her go for a moment so she could make her escape again.

Devon leant forward and gently brushed his lips against hers. It sent sparks through her body and she tried desperately to keep her mind focused on her main objective. As Devon deepened the kiss in intensity, she lifted her hand and ran her fingers across the small of his back. It was as far as her hands could reach, but it had the desired effect, Devon released his vicelike grip on her shoulders and allowed her to roll him over so that she sat across his hips.

Beverly was enjoying the kiss immensely and reluctantly broke it before punching him hard on the face and in his momentary shock, she jumped to her feet and ran from her quarters and headed straight for the haven of Jean-Luc's quarters again.

She hadn't stopped long enough to see if Devon had followed her and she stood inside Jean-Luc's closed doors catching her breath.

She waited for her heartbeat to slow to a normal level before venturing further inside. Once again she walked to the doorway of Jean-Luc's bedroom and watched him sleeping soundly. She wished she could go over and crawl into bed beside him and for him to put his arm around her and not ask any difficult questions or assume she had arrived to make love to him for the first time.

She rubbed her face and reluctantly wandered over to the couch where she had slept the night before. She lay down in the darkness, chilled to the bone by what had just happened. It took hours before sleep finally claimed its victim.

The next morning Jean-Luc climbed out of bed, stripped down naked and padded barefoot into the lounge on his way to the bathroom. A feeling of déja vous over came him as he spotted Beverly asleep on the couch and retraced his steps backwards into his bedroom to don his dressing gown.

Assuming she must have had the nightmare again he didn't wake her and went straight into the bathroom to wash and use the toilet.

She had moved when he came out of the bathroom, her knees curled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She had certainly made herself comfortable. He chuckled to himself as he went back into his bedroom and changed ready for his duty shift in two hours time. A grown woman running from her bed because of a nightmare!

It was ten minutes later before he arrived at Beverly's side and softly tried to call her into the land of the living. She didn't answer him at first and so he gently laid a hand onto her shoulder and shook her.

Beverly's eyes flew open and she flinched from his away from his touch.

"It's me," he said trying to hide his amusement.

Beverly stared at him blankly as she tried hard to get her eyes to convince her brain that it was Jean-Luc she was looking at and not Devon. "What time is it?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"Almost six," he replied sinking down onto the couch by her feet.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, a flush creeping across her face.

"It's okay," Jean-Luc replied with a reassuring smile. "I had a feeling I would find you here again this morning."

Beverly smiled wryly at him in return. "Damn nightmares!" she cursed.

"They must be horrible," he replied. "Especially to have you running scared. Would you like to talk about it?"

Beverly took a deep breath in through her nose and pulled herself up into a seated position. "I can't really remember what it is I'm dreaming about. All I know is that I'm very scared and can't stand being in my quarters alone."

"Have you had them before?" he asked.

"Not that I know of," she replied. "I haven't had any since I was a child. And don't worry, I will be seeking Deanna's help when she gets back."

"Well it's a good thing she's going to be back early. She'll be arriving in two days," Jean-Luc smiled at her and couldn't quite figure out the look in Beverly's eyes. It was a cross between fear and hopefulness.

Beverly didn't know whether to be pleased or not. She knew that as soon as Deanna met up with her again she would sense that something was going on and probably alert the crew and the next thing Beverly would know was either Jean-Luc lying on a table in the morgue or nothing at all because she would be dead. The only way to avoid the inevitable was if she left the ship. Of course she would have to take Devon with her. That thought made her feel sick.

She quickly dismissed the thought and decided to try her other brainwave first. She was going to take a phaser to bed with her tonight. She still had no idea what Devon was, but the phaser had worked a treat on Ronin. And Ronin was the closest thing at the moment that resembled Devon in anyway and it was worth a try. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Jean-Luc asked as he watched what was obviously a torrent of thoughts rush through his best friends eyes.

"Although I am in my uniform already," Beverly replied climbing to her feet. "Its yesterdays and I've slept in it all night so I had better go and change first. I'll be ten minutes."

"I'll send a search party out if you're not back in fifteen minutes," Jean-Luc said with a grin before she left.

Beverly didn't dare to go back to her quarters to change; instead she went down to sickbay and changed in the staff changing room. She was just brushing the tangles out of her hair when Devon appeared at her side leaning against the lockers.

She caught his reflection in the mirror and gasped in surprise. "Go away!" she snapped in a hushed tone. There were four members of staff working in the room right next door.

"I am not very happy with you," Devon said slowly, his face wore a mask of anger.

"Why don't you wear clothes?" Beverly asked, hoping to distract him for the moment she needed to leave the changing room.

"I don't need clothes," he replied irritably, putting his arm across the door when she made an attempt to brush past him.

Beverly sighed heavily and closed her eyes. She was tired of this, tired of the whole situation. Devon was making her lose her credibility in Jean-Luc's eyes as well as her staffs. She had made a few minor mistakes that she had later realised that Nurse Ogowa had corrected for her before she had got in trouble. And now Jean-Luc thought she was childish because she was running from her nightmares.

"Jean-Luc is expecting me," Beverly said trying to push him away.

"Jean-Luc is not important!" Devon yelled. "Your Betazoid Counsellor coming back is!"

"How do you know about that?" she demanded.

"Well invisibility does have its advantages," he sneered. "If anybody on this ship finds out about me I will have to kill them. Your friend Deanna coming back will be a problem. I shall have to neutralise her."

"Neutralise her!" Beverly exclaimed. "You touch one hair on her head and I'll… I'll…" her voice trailed off. She didn't know how to kill him.

"You can't do anything can you?" he laughed. Beverly groaned in frustration. "You don't have the faintest idea what I am. You've searched through all the information on the computer and come up with a complete blank. All you can really relate me to is some entity called Q. You are in a hopeless situation and I suggest that if you want the Counsellor to live, you figure out a plan pretty quickly and put it into action."

Beverly stared expressionless at his face. "What the hell do you expect me to do?" she asked in exasperation.

"It's up to you," he replied. "You're the Starfleet Doctor. You figure it out!"

With those last words he disappeared from view. She stared at the space he had occupied for a few moments before heading out of the changing rooms and back to Jean-Luc's for breakfast. Devon had given her a lot to think about. The only logical thing to do was to leave the ship and she had to do it without raising suspicion and leave within the next three days before Deanna got back from the conference.

"Shore leave?" Jean-Luc said in surprise. "This is a bit out of the blue isn't it?"

"I guess so," Beverly replied trying to sound nonchalant and not like her life and the lives of the crew depended on it. "But I have some leave owed to me and I'm not needed for the next mission. Anything that comes up, I'm sure Dr Massing can handle it. She is very competent."

"Of that I have no doubt," he replied. "Where do you plan on going?"

"I haven't done any research on that yet," she replied wishing that she had had the foresight to do so. "I think that I need a break from the routine. It might be the cause of my troubled sleep."

"I hope you are planning to speak to Deanna about it before you leave," Jean-Luc replied offering her some coffee.

"Of course," she lied.

"Good," he replied with a smile. "Well I see no reason for you to stay. Permission granted."

Beverly forced a smile onto her face. She tried not to let the daunting prospect of spending time alone in Devon's company get to her.

Bailey slowly awoke from her slumber and opened her violet eyes to be greeted by a smiling face.

"Morning sleepy head," Jamie said holding out a mug of coffee to her. "I've run you a bath."

Bailey sat up with a start. "What…" her voice trailed off as she remembered the previous night. She had managed to meet up with Jamie in Ten Forward after all and things had gone well. Maybe a little too well.

She felt ashamed of herself and guilty for betraying Devon for the first ever time. She held the bedcover firmly by the tops of her arms as she took the mug from his hands.

Jamie reached out and brushed a lock of tousled red hair out of her eyes. "I knew we'd get together one day," he said softly.

Bailey saw the adoration in his soft brown eyes. If things were different, she knew she could easily fall in love with this man. She smiled in response to his words. "I suppose it was inevitable."

He leaned over and kissed her lips softly and pulled back to look into her eyes. "I'm glad you saw sense," he laughed.

Bailey felt something weird happening, she could literally feel her iciness thawing inside her. Jamie was getting to her she realised in shock.

"What time do you get off work?" he asked.

"1900 hours," she replied. "But I have things to take care of and my cousin wants me to have dinner with her," she lied.

Jamie looked disappointed. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said with a half-hearted smile. "I have got to go home and get changed for work."

Bailey watched him leave before sliding out of the bed and heading towards the bathroom to use the toilet. She bumped into something and fell backwards on the deck in surprise. "Devon?" she said in a small voice.

"Who the hell was that?" he screamed into her face.

"Jamie," she mumbled. "He just came over to drop something off…"

"Don't lie to me!" Devon screamed into her face. "How do you think it feels to see you laying naked in bed with another man!"

"I'm sorry!" Bailey cried desperately. She had never seen Devon so angry before and didn't like to think what the consequences would be.

He suddenly appeared in front of her, charging for her. His hands surrounded her throat and he knelt on her stomach as he squeezed.

"Please…" Bailey managed to say before the pain was too intense. She tried desperately to get his hands free as Devon forced the air out of her body.

Devon suddenly came to his senses. There was no way he could kill Bailey now, he had no place to go. Going into Beverly was no option; she hadn't been fully acclimatised yet. Going into a child as Devon had done to Bailey was one thing, but going into a fully-grown, strong woman was another thing entirely. Beverly was still able to resist him.

He let go of his grasp on Bailey's neck and threw her back on the deck in disgust and watched her gasping for the precious air she needed to survive.

Bailey watched Devon fearfully through the blur of tears. She held her throat and tried to ease some of the burning pain away. Devon stood above her staring down at his host.

"You won't do that again will you!" he snapped and began pacing the room, his anger was only beginning to brew. "You are lucky I managed to control my temper!"

"I'm sorry," Bailey sobbed and clambered to her knees, pulling the sheet around her.

"Sorry is not good enough!" Devon cried, spinning around to face her.

Bailey gasped and thought he was coming in for another attack, but he didn't, he grabbed her by the tops of her arms and hauled her to her feet. "What can I do?" she asked desperately.

Devon dragged her into the bathroom and threw her into the bath Jamie had run for her earlier. He grabbed the soap and roughly began to wash her all over while she sobbed. "Do it again Bailey," Devon said in a vicious voice. "I dare you!"

"I won't do it again," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I never meant it to happen."

"Well I may not be able to control myself next time," he said as he soaped her breasts.

When he was satisfied he had cleansed her of any trace of Jamie from her body, he dragged her out of the bath and into the bedroom. "Get dressed," he ordered.

Bailey numbly went to the wardrobe and dressed herself. "I won't see him again," she said softly.

"That won't be a problem," he replied. "I'll see you later."

Bailey watched him disappear before turning back to the bed, the scene of the crime. She stripped off the covers and threw them in a heap on the floor before collapsing on the bed in tears. She had hurt the one true love of her life and had found out that he was vicious, even a wife-beater.

Beverly did her best to keep her attention focused on her work all morning, but at lunchtime she gave up and headed towards Ten Forward for a drink to relax herself a little bit. She took a computer pad with her so that she could do a little research about her annual leave.

She settled at a corner table with a view of the stars and activated the pad after giving her order to the waiter.

She was searching through the database and organising her shuttlecraft for the journey when she realised that she was no longer alone at the table.

"Jean-Luc!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"You looked busy so I decided not to interrupt you," he replied with a smile. "What are you reading?"

"I'm reading up on the planet I shall be going to on shore leave," she replied returning the smile, albeit half-heartedly.

"Let me see," he replied holding out his hand.

"I was thinking of this one," she said as she handed him the pad. "There is a wonderful villa that I'm thinking of renting for the three weeks. A lake and a forest surround it. It sounds lovely."

"Harrison to Captain Picard," a voice sounded over the communications.

"Picard here," Jean-Luc replied to his security chief.

"Sir, we have a problem," Lieutenant Harrison replied.

"What is it?" Jean-Luc asked, looking over at Beverly.

"One moment sir," Harrison replied.

"Ogowa to Doctor Crusher," a second voice came over the communications.

"Crusher here," Beverly replied.

"Report to Lieutenant Peitx's quarters, deck seventeen."

"On my way," Beverly said flashing Jean-Luc a worried look. Of course Jean-Luc didn't know that Jamie Peitx was Bailey's boyfriend.

Jean-Luc climbed to his feet and followed Beverly out of Ten Forward.

"Sir," Harrison's voice sounded over the channel again.

"Yes Lieutenant," Jean-Luc replied.

"There appears to have been a murder committed," Harrison replied.

"Where?" Jean-Luc barked. "To whom?"

"Lieutenant Jamie Peitx didn't report for duty this morning on time," he replied. "Ensign Blackmore found him dead in his quarters five minutes ago and called security."

"I'm on my way Lieutenant," Jean-Luc replied. "You can apprise Doctor Crusher and I of the situation when we arrive."

"Yes sir, Harrison out."

"Jamie's dead!" Beverly exclaimed in horror.

Jean-Luc wouldn't have paid any attention to his companion as he marched in full Captain mode, if he hadn't had of caught the tinge of emotion behind Beverly's voice.

"You know him personally?" he asked taking her arm gently.

"Come on!" Beverly said charging forward, shaking his arm away.

"Beverly!" Jean-Luc snapped, stopping Beverly in her tracks. "The man isn't going anywhere, he's dead."

Beverly glared at him. "That is a bit insensitive," she replied as she turned back to face him. "The reason I am a bit… well… Jamie Peitx is Bailey's boyfriend."

Suddenly it dawned on him. "Oh," he said in a small voice.

"So come on!" Beverly said, "I don't want Bailey finding out about this on the grapevine. I want to tell her myself." Beverly then began walking away from him down the corridor.

"Well perhaps you should break the news now," Jean-Luc said hurrying to catch up with her. "You know how fast news travels on this ship, and bad news tends to travel faster than good."

"I'll check out the scene with you first," Beverly replied. "Knowing my luck Bailey is probably there in the thick of it."

They travelled the rest of the way in silence, each contemplating the situation in their own way. Beverly was extremely worried about Bailey, this couldn't have come at a worse time. As far as Bailey was concerned, everyone she loved had died.

Jean-Luc on the other hand, was working his way through even more worrying thoughts. He had seen Bailey preparing for an argument with this Jamie, and hoped that she wasn't somehow involved in his murder. Bailey's past record wouldn't hold her in good steed if she were suspected of this murder. All the things that had happened at the academy would just complicate the situation even more.

They arrived at the scene to find that the new security chief had everything in order. The Acting Counsellor, Lieutenant Brown, was sitting in the lounge area with a young ensign. Beverly surmised that she must have been the one that found Jamie dead.

Beverly collected a medical kit from a nearby nurse and went into the bedroom to examine the body.

Jean-Luc followed close behind her. He didn't say anything until she had finished her initial scan. "Well?" he asked as Beverly leant back and looked up at him.

"He's been dead for about two hours at the most, rigger mortis has passed. He died from what at first appears to be asphyxia. I'll find out more when I do the autopsy."

"And it's definitely murder?" Jean-Luc asked in concern.

"At first glance I'd say yes," Beverly replied, returning her eyes to the body. "It looks like a classic strangulation. As I said, I'll look deeper during the autopsy." She looked back up at Jean-Luc and then signalled to her staff to move the body to the morgue.

"I will be with security," Jean-Luc said, "I suggest you find Bailey immediately before performing the autopsy."

Beverly nodded and got to her feet. They both stood in silence and watched as Jamie's body was covered and laid on an anti-grav stretcher and taken out of the room.

"Computer, location of Ensign Bailey Howard," Beverly asked the computer.

She was waiting for the computers answer, when Jean-Luc nudged her attention with his elbow and nodded towards the doorway. Bailey was standing in the doorway, staring emotionless at the stretcher.

"Bailey," Beverly said softly as she approached her cousin. This wasn't supposed to have happened, Bailey shouldn't have found out about his death like this.

"He's dead?" she asked in response, in a low cracked voice.

Beverly nodded slowly. "I'm so sorry Bailey," she said softly, getting ready to give her a hug.

"He can't be!" Bailey yelled and took off up the corridor after the stretcher.

Beverly was hot on her heals, "Bailey calm down," she called after her.

Two security guys managed to grab Bailey just before she made it to Jamie's lifeless body. She struggled in their grasp for a few moments before breaking down into heart wrenching sobs of despair. Although the people nearby thought that it was because she was in love with the lieutenant lying covered on the anti-grav stretcher, that was far from the truth.

Beverly reached Bailey's side and pulled her into her arms. "It's all my fault!" Bailey screamed at Beverly, shoving her away fiercely.

Beverly glanced at Jean-Luc, his expression said it all, he seemed to suddenly take in the acknowledgement of guilt from Bailey's words. Beverly couldn't bring herself to believe it. "It's not your fault," Beverly replied.

"It is!" Bailey snapped back, her eyes on the medical team as they walked away around the corner. "It's all my fault…" her voice trailed off, and she sunk to the floor as she looked into Beverly's eyes. All she could see was total confusion. She looked to the Captain who was now standing next to Beverly watching her. Disappointment shone in his eyes, that was when it dawned on her, that they both thought she had murdered Jamie.

"Unless you were the one that strangled him…" Beverly began slowly, not wanting to hear Bailey's answer.

"I didn't do it!" Bailey snapped angrily.

"I never said you did," Beverly replied. "Tell me what happened. I don't understand."

Bailey shook her head slowly, finally looking away from their accusing faces. How could she possibly explain what had happened? She couldn't tell them the truth, Devon had scared her beyond belief today. And for the first time in the ten years she had known him, she had finally seen what Devon was truly capable of.

She would not have known anything about Devon's death, had it not been for the fact that Devon had appeared to her whilst she was dressing for work and announced that he had sorted out the 'problem' and that there would be nothing to worry about now.

Then Bailey had asked him what he had meant by that, and was startled to find out that Devon had just murdered Jamie in cold blood. Not wanting to believe him, she had tried to run to Jamie's quarters to see for herself. But Devon hadn't let her leave until he knew for a fact that the body had been found and pronounced dead.

"Bailey," Beverly said softly to remind her that she was still waiting for her answer.

"Nothing," Bailey replied softly and thoughts raced wildly through her head at lightening speeds, but still she could not come up with a good enough excuse for her announcement that it had been all her fault.

Jean-Luc stepped forward and held out his hand to Bailey and pulled her to her feet. He stared back into her intense violet gaze, and realised she was pleading with him silently to help her. He tried to portray his single thought back to her 'I'm sorry' before issuing orders for her to be confined to her quarters until this matter had been settled. He hoped Beverly's autopsy would reveal someone else had attacked Jamie Peitx, but until then he couldn't take anything for granted.

He stood next to Beverly and they both watched, as Bailey was lead away by the two security officers that had stopped her from reaching Jamie's body earlier.

"Well," Beverly began. "I think I should get that autopsy done right away."

"This might put a stop to your leave tomorrow," Jean-Luc said, not quite knowing what to say. He had never been in this situation before.

Beverly sighed and walked away. She didn't know what Devon was going to have to say about that and wondered whether there was some other way to make sure Deanna stayed away from the ship and safe.

She went straight to sickbay to begin the autopsy on Jamie Peitx. What she would have liked to do right now, most of all was to go to Bailey and try to get more sense from her. She was sure that Bailey had done nothing wrong, and at the moment, the autopsy was the only thing she could do to help.

Her nurse had already prepared the body, so Beverly went straight down into the morgue to begin.

Bailey lay curled up on her bed, silent and still. She had long since stopped crying, and her tears had been replaced with shock. Her best friend and lover since she was sixteen had done something so terrible and she could do nothing about it. Devon had assured her that she would be in serious trouble if she even mentioned his existence to anyone. He hadn't actually said the words, but she was sure that he meant she would end up in the morgue on the table next to Jamie.

She felt the bed sink beside her and slowly opened her eyes to find Devon sitting on the bed beside her. He reached over and gently stroked her hair away from her forehead.

Bailey didn't move, she didn't attempt to flinch away or even to give into his caress.

"If you hadn't gone to Jamie's quarters you wouldn't be in this mess now," Devon said breaking the silence.

Bailey swallowed. "Why did you do it?" she asked, confusion shone in her violet eyes.

"I get jealous sometimes," he replied and just managed to stop himself shrugging. "Bailey you are my girl, what you did is unforgivable."

"We could have just split up," she replied numbly. "You should have killed me like you were going to. It wasn't Jamie's fault."

"I could never hurt you my love," he replied, smiling gently.

"But you did," she replied, sitting up.

"I stopped myself," he replied. "I couldn't do it. I will never do it again. I promise."

Bailey looked down away from his gaze. Something inside her, perhaps her rational half was telling her not to believe him, but at the same time her heart was telling her to forgive and forget. "I'm probably going to go to jail," she said slowly.

"Well there is no need to worry about that," Devon replied offhand. "You didn't do it did you?

Bailey shook her head. "No, but…"

"Innocent until proven guilty. Isn't that the saying?" Devon asked as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Besides, who else has an invisible boyfriend who can visit you whenever you want?"

Nothing Devon could say would make her feel any better. She just leaned into his comforting embrace and tried hard to block out unpleasant thoughts.

Back in the Enterprise morgue, Beverly was just finishing up the autopsy when Alyssa Ogawa arrived with a pad full of test results on the dead body.

"Thanks Alyssa," Beverly said forcing a smile onto her face.

Alyssa shifted from one foot to the other and looked slightly nervous. "It's not good news I'm afraid."

Beverly looked down at the pad and back up at her nurse. From Alyssa's body language, Beverly already had an idea of what the test results showed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Can you finish up here?" she asked Alyssa.

Alyssa nodded. "I just have a small wound to dress and I'll be right back."

Beverly watched Alyssa disappear up the stairs into main sickbay before activating the pad she had been given. Shaking her head in disbelief, she read the results. Every scrap of evidence she collected from the body and the evidence collected in Jamie's quarters all pointed a menacing guilty finger at her cousin Bailey.

Beverly was scientific in mind and the evidence presented her, did nothing but confirm her deepest fear. "Crusher to Picard, I think you better come down here."

"On my way Doctor," Jean-Luc replied through the con system.

Beverly had stood still the whole time she had been reading the results and suddenly turned back to the body lying cold and lifeless on the metal gurney. There must have been something she had missed in her examination. There just had to be! There was no way Bailey could have done something as awful as this.

"Where are we going then?" a voice sounded in the small room and made her jump.

"Go away Devon!" Beverly yelled at him, slamming the tricorder down on the gurney with force.

"I am not going anywhere!" Devon yelled back.

"I am in the middle of one of the most traumatic events in my life!" Beverly yelled, spinning around to find him standing behind her, naked as usual. "I haven't got time to have you winding me up! I am busy and too upset to deal with you right now. So if you have any decency, please leave me alone!"

"I don't," Devon replied with a wicked grin. "So I won't."

"Please…" Beverly practically begged him and hated herself for doing so.

"Well," Devon said walking around her in a small circle. "I just want to know when and how we are leaving."

"Its not important now!" Beverly snapped back.

"I have arrangements to make," he replied with a shrug.

"What arrangements?" Beverly demanded, finding it hard to believe that this alien life form would have anything to arrange.

"I have to make up some excuse," he replied.

"An excuse to who?" Beverly asked, suddenly interested.

"No one special," he replied. "How long are we going for? We have to stay away long enough for you to get your Counsellor friend off the ship permanently."

"How the hell do you expect me to do that!" Beverly cried. "I can't tell her to leave. I can't get her sacked."

End of part four 


	5. Chapter 5

**Dvorovoi Part Five**

**By ****Karen Page**

"Well then I guess we should sign onto another ship. One without a Betazoid," Devon said flippantly.

"You want me to leave my home and live with you!" Beverly exclaimed. She couldn't believe what he was asking her to do.

"I'm not so bad," he replied, enjoying himself immensely. "You will feel great! Once we are bonded and I have completely left my old host. It will be brilliant. I'll be there whenever you want me. I'll be your guardian angel."

Just as Devon was about to go on, they both heard footsteps descending the stairs into the morgue. Beverly glanced at the stairs and then looked back to Devon, but he wasn't there anymore. He had disappeared from sight once again. She didn't know whether he was there and invisible or not.

"Report Doctor," Jean-Luc said as he approached her.

Beverly sighed and covered the body over and closed it away. "I have some bad news," she said finally turning back to her Captain.

"What is it?" Jean-Luc asked, noting the look in her eyes.

"According to all the evidence collected, there is only one suspect," she handed him the data pad that she still held in her hand.

"Bailey did it?" Jean-Luc said in disbelief.

Beverly nodded sadly. "Her DNA is all over his entire body. It's in the ligature markings on his neck. She strangled him with her bare hands. The fingerprints are a little blurry on his neck and throat area, but they are perfectly clear on the rest of his body. There is evidence that they had sexual intercourse together shortly before. Probably last night. Security have taken all the bedclothes from Bailey's quarters and they confirm that it took place in her bed.

"The shower was still running in Mr Peitx's quarters when Security arrived this morning, and my guess is he was about to take a shower when he was attacked," Beverly continued. "It's all clear cut."

Jean-Luc reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Beverly ignored him. "The only thing that isn't clear cut is the motive. Why in the universe would she feel the need to murder him?"

"The only one who can answer that is Bailey herself," Jean-Luc said and then contacted Security that they had found the murderer. The murder trial plan was set in motion. Jean-Luc decided to allow Bailey to remain in her quarters for the time being.

"Jean-Luc?" Beverly asked after he had finished issuing his orders.

"Yes?" he turned to look in her beautiful eyes and realised that she wanted something.

"Can I speak to her?" she asked, knowing she was asking a lot. But it was something she desperately needed to do. She had to know why Bailey did it.

Jean-Luc considered it for a while. "I shall speak to Chief of security first. But I don't think there will be a problem."

Beverly smiled, truly grateful. "Thank you Jean-Luc," she said. "I appreciate it."

After Jean-Luc had gone, Beverly immediately slumped down in the nearest chair. Beverly had lots to think about, apart from her cousin having apparently committed a murder. Devon had just let slip a vital bit of information! He had another host on board this ship somewhere! Of course, Beverly had no idea who it was, but she was going to find out if it killed her. Perhaps the current host knew of a way to kill him, or at least knew what he was.

She was just formulating a plan of how to find out who Devon's host was, but was interrupted by a call from the Captain. Jean-Luc had indeed done his best and she was permitted to visit Bailey that evening. But she was also in charge of getting Bailey a defendant. She immediately thought of Data, and wondered whether he would agree to the job.

She would of course have to ask Bailey first, and deciding there was no time like the present, she headed off to Bailey's quarters after notifying the Jean-Luc that she was on her way there.

When she arrived, she was surprised to see Jean-Luc standing outside the doors waiting for her. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Has something happened?" panic flowed freely through her.

"No," Jean-Luc said immediately. "Nothing has happened. I have just come down to tell you that your conversation is being recorded. Now don't get angry. It's protocol."

Beverly sighed with relief. "That's okay," she said to Jean-Luc's relief as well. "I understand."

Jean-Luc squeezed her shoulder again that day and left her to go and visit Bailey alone. She nodded at the security guard manning the door and pushed the door chime. She faintly heard someone inside, say 'go away', but decided to go straight on inside.

It was dark inside, and Beverly was tempted to call for the lights. But decided against it when she noticed dim light coming from the bathroom. She walked over and as she neared she called out to Bailey softly.

"Go away," Bailey replied in a low voice.

"I'm not going to go away," Beverly replied stubbornly as she went into the bathroom. She found Bailey sitting on the floor, in the corner leaning against the bath that was filled with steaming water.

Bailey continued to stare at her knees. "I don't want to talk right now," she said in a whisper. "I just want to be alone."

Beverly bit her lip and knelt down on the floor next to her. Bailey was wrapped in a large white fluffy towel and had goose pimples all over her skin. "I'll just be a little while," Beverly said softly.

Bailey lifted her eyes and looked at her through sodden eyelashes. Her usual vibrant eyes were red and swollen from crying. "What am I going to do?" she asked in desperation.

"I don't know Bailey," Beverly replied. "I really don't know."

Bailey began to cry again at Beverly's confession. Her world had come crashing down around her and she didn't even know where to start to get everything right again. "I didn't do it Beverly," Bailey said pleadingly. "Once they do the tests, they'll see that I didn't do it and let me go."

"They've already done the tests," Beverly said, deciding not to mention the fact that she was the one who had run the tests.

"When they get the results then," Bailey added numbly.

"The results are already in," Beverly replied. "That's why they arrested you this afternoon."

Bailey's mouth dropped open and she stared at Beverly for a full minute in silence. "The tests are wrong!" she suddenly yelled.

Beverly jumped back in surprise. "They are conclusive. I reviewed them myself."

"But I didn't murder him!" Bailey yelled, clambering to her feet. "I did not murder him!"

"You may not have meant to…" Beverly said calmly as she quickly got to her feet too.

"I didn't do it!" Bailey screamed. "I swear I didn't do it!"

"Bailey calm down," Beverly said trying to placate her somehow. But it wasn't easy, it took her a good five minutes before she could get Bailey calm enough so that she would speak rather than shout and proclaim her innocence.

She led her cousin into the living area and sat her down on the couch in the darkness. "I need to understand what exactly took place."

Bailey looked back at her for a moment before answering. "I want to know what evidence you have on me first."

"You're DNA is all over his body," Beverly replied, deciding there was no point in hiding anything from her. "There were traces of your DNA in his quarters and also his DNA on your body and in your quarters too. Your DNA was also found all over his body and in the wounds that killed him."

"Well I can explain that," Bailey replied. "I went to his quarters last night after I had been to Ten Forward and found out that he wasn't there," she began. "Then we both decided that we would go down to Ten Forward and get something to eat. We stayed there talking for about two hours, ask Guinan. Then we came back here."

"Then what happened?" Beverly asked, needing to hear everything.

"We…" her voiced trailed off.

"Yes?" Beverly prodded.

"We made love, then he woke me up this morning with a cup of coffee," she looked up at Beverly. "He told me he had to go home to get washed and changed for work. We made some arrangements to meet tonight, then he left. That was the last time I saw him."

"What did you do between Jamie leaving you and you arriving at his quarters when we were moving the body?" Beverly asked.

"I stayed here," Bailey replied. "I never left here, not until then."

"How did you know Jamie was dead before you arrived at his quarters?" Beverly asked, as she finally took a seat herself opposite Bailey.

Beverly noted that this was the first time Bailey seemed to have trouble with her answer. "Well?"

"I…" her voice trailed off. She began to panic a little. "I am quarter Betazoid. I knew something had happened."

Beverly suddenly realised something. Why was Devon so persistent that she leave the ship because a Betazoid was due to return here tomorrow night if there was already one on board the ship right now.

"You told me your powers weren't very strong," Beverly replied evenly.

Tears began to fall down Bailey's cheeks again. "I didn't do it Beverly," she said in desperation.

"You haven't answered my question Bailey," Beverly said pointedly.

"I can sense big things," she lied.

"You knew he was dead when you arrived," Beverly said.

"What do you want me to do Beverly?" Bailey yelled jumping to her feet. "Tell you I did it? Tell you I strangled him?"

"I just want to know what happened," Beverly replied, getting to her feet to face her cousin eye to eye. "I want to know how you knew he was dead before you got there."

"I don't know!" Bailey cried.

"Computer, lights!" Beverly barked and light flooded the darkened room, illuminating the scene. Beverly could gauge Bailey's reaction to her questions, better in the light.

It wasn't until the light hit Bailey, and her eyes had focused that Beverly noticed the markings on Bailey's neck. "What happened to your neck?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing," Bailey replied, her eyes wide.

Suddenly everything fell into place, like a jigsaw puzzle, Beverly could see pieces of information slotting together to find the ultimate answer. "You didn't do it did you?" she said in disbelief.

"You believe me?" Bailey asked in confusion.

"You never strangled Jamie, because someone else did it for you," Beverly said her voice gradually becoming excitable. "Or someone else did it despite of you. Did you make him angry?"

"Huh?" Bailey murmured.

"Did you make him angry?" Beverly asked. "Was he jealous because you slept with another man?"

Bailey began to panic. How in the universe would Beverly know about Devon? Unless she was baiting her, trying to trap her into saying something she might regret later.

"You're his host aren't you?" Beverly demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bailey replied suddenly frightened. Beverly did indeed know about Devon and she didn't know what to do. She had never been in this situation before.

"Yes you do!" Beverly yelled back. "It explains everything! Devon arrived just after you did. It explains the strange happenings back at the academy, the trashed apartments and the injured professor. It explains the marks on your neck to! Did Devon catch you at it? Did he try to strangle you then change his mind about killing you and go after Jamie instead?"

"I don't have any idea what you are going on about…" Bailey cried, backing away. Beverly looked dangerous.

"Don't give me that shit!" Beverly cried back in a mixture of anger and frustration. "He would have killed you if he hadn't have still been trying to merge with me!"

A look of complete shock came over Bailey's face. Devon was sleeping with Beverly! She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to believe it.

Suddenly Beverly was throw across the room, she landed with a huge thud against the bulkhead in the doorway between the living area and the bedroom. She heard Bailey gasp in surprise.

"I never told her!" Bailey yelled loudly. "Please Devon! You have to believe me!"

Beverly scrambled to her feet in a hurry ignoring the protest from her wounded arm.

"Oh my God," Bailey cried, tears falling down her cheeks.

Beverly didn't like her chances staying here in the room and staying alive, she made a mad dash for the doorway. It exploded in a flash of neon lights just after she passed, taking the confused security officer and his phaser with it.

Beverly barely glanced at him as she took off up the corridor not having the faintest idea of where she was headed. She just ran and ran, hearing the blaring of the red alert sirens and the explosions happening behind her. The ship was in trouble. All the lives of the crew and its families were in trouble. Devon was after her. She needed to get off the ship to save their lives.

She got into the nearest turbo lift and yelled at the computer to take her to the nearest shuttle bay. If she was going to die, she wasn't going to take the people on the ship with her.

Once on the deck, she ran down the corridor blindly, pushing past several crewmembers running in the opposite direction.

"Dr Crusher, report to Sickbay immediately. Medical Emergency!"

Beverly ignored the communication and carried on running. She got to the internal shuttle bay doors and went inside. She paused briefly to determine which of the shuttlecraft's to take and then ran to the one closet to the main shuttle bay doors.

"Dr Crusher, respond please," her badge chirped again.

She was just getting the hatch on the shuttle to open when she was grabbed from behind and shoved roughly into the back of the craft.

"I think we had better leave now!" Devon yelled, dragging her up by her hair and shoving her into the pilot's chair. "Go on! Get us out of here!"

"I need to open the bay doors," Beverly said, somewhat pleased that Devon didn't intend to kill her.

"How?" he demanded.

"I have to go over there to the control console," Beverly said pointing out the back window and ignoring further calls from her communication badge.

Beverly suddenly realised she was alone, when the bay doors suddenly began to open. It didn't last for long, suddenly the craft doors closed and Devon grasped her shoulders from behind.

"Go on then!" Devon yelled, squeezing her shoulders so tightly that she yelped in pain.

Beverly started the shuttles engines, checked over the readings, making sure they had enough fuel to get them to the planet where she had booked accommodation. She hadn't planned to leave until the morning, so they were several more light years away from where they were headed. She hoped that they would still make it.

Up on the bridge, commotion and chaos would be what Counsellor Troi would be sensing. Damage reports were coming in from all over the ship.

"Sir, the explosions seemed to have stopped," Data reported from the operations console.

"Casualty reports coming in from all over the ship," the lieutenant at security reported.

"Picard to Engineering," Jean-Luc barked.

"LaForge here," Geordi replied.

"Report, what the hell is happening!" Jean-Luc replied.

"I have no idea sir," Geordi replied. "Systems seem to have spontaneously exploded all over the ship. Sensors are down and we have lost warp power!"

There was the sound of a few more explosions coming from engineering before Geordi spoke again. "I think I can get you thrusters power, but that's all sir. Shields are at fifty percent and we are working on getting them higher."

"Keep me informed LaForge, Picard out!" Jean-Luc turned to Data, "Sensor status?"

"Sensors are still down sir," Data replied. "I am scanning manually, but I can not detect anything in the local vicinity."

"Sickbay to bridge!" Dr Selar called.

"Bridge here," Riker replied sternly.

"Sir, we cannot contact Dr Crusher," she replied. "The computer cannot get a fix on her location."

"Data?" Jean-Luc said, grinding his fear away into the back of his mind.

"I cannot get a lock on the Doctors communicator either sir," Data replied. "The computer cannot locate her."

"Sir!" the security officer at tactical called out urgently.

"Yes lieutenant?" Riker replied walking around to the tactical station.

"An unscheduled shuttlecraft has just left shuttle bay three," Lieutenant Brown stated. "Heading 143, mark 3."

"On screen," Riker ordered.

They all stared at the shuttle on the screen for a moment before the Captain spoke up. He had a nasty feeling about this. "Mr Data, continue to look for Dr Crusher, send out a security team to search the ship."

"Aye sir," Data acknowledged.

"Picard to shuttle," he barked.

"No response," Lieutenant Brown replied.

"Hail them again," Picard snapped back.

To his surprise, Dr Crusher appeared on the screen. She was half looking at the screen and obviously keeping her eyes on something or someone behind her. "Yes Captain," she replied innocently.

"What are you doing?" Jean-Luc asked in total disbelief.

"Going on shore leave," she replied, turning to face the screen.

If Jean-Luc noticed the cut on her forehead and the large bruise appearing on her cheekbone, he never showed it. "You were not shedualed to leave until tomorrow morning," he replied.

"Well I…" he voice trailed off and she glanced over her shoulder. "I decided to leave early."

Jean-Luc was highly suspicious. This was just not like Beverly; in fact it was just not like any member of his crew.

"Turn the shuttle around Doctor," he ordered.

"I'm sorry Captain," she replied; true regret shining in her eyes. "But I can't do that."

"That's an order Doctor!" Picard yelled.

"Sorry sir," Beverly replied and cut communications.

"Get a tractor beam on her and bring her back," Picard yelled, furious that she had blatantly disobeyed a direct order.

"The tractor beam is offline," the lieutenant replied.

"Beam her out of there!" Riker ordered.

The lieutenant and Data frantically worked, but were unsuccessful. They had no choice but to watch the shuttle on screen as it fired up it's warp engines and sped out of sensor range.

"Picard to engineering," Jean-Luc called, a feeling of dread inside him.

"LaForge here," Geordi replied.

"Report."

"We had to shut down the warp core sir," Geordi replied. "We won't be able to put it back online until we figure out what happened and why. The explosions seem to have started on deck four, between sections twenty-four and thirty five. That's the best I can do, internal sensors are playing up a bit. We should have them back online within ten minutes."

"Mr Data and I will go down to access the situation," Picard replied. "We'll meet you there Mr LaForge."

"Aye sir, LaForge out."

As he and Data went down to deck four, Jean-Luc's mind was racing. He couldn't believe that Beverly had left the ship on her own like that. The way she had been glancing over his shoulder as they talked had confirmed it. Riker had expressed this just before they had headed into the turbo lift. In fact when Riker had heard of the location of the first unexplained explosion and realised that Beverly's cousins quarters were in that section, he had immediately expressed his concern.

"Ensign Howard must be with her on the ship," he had said. "She must have forced Beverly to leave with her!"

Jean-Luc's mind returned to the present. "Mr Data," he said turning to his companion in the lift.

"Yes Captain?" Data replied.

"Does the current evidence collected on the explosions agree to Commander Riker's theory, that somehow Dr Crusher and Ensign Howard disabled the ship to escape?"

"They did not have enough time to set off the charges," Data replied simply. "Dr Crusher spent four hours performing to autopsy on Jamie Peitx this morning. I checked the computer records; she did not leave the morgue until her visit to Ensign Howard's quarters. She was in Howard's quarters right up until the moment of the first explosion. That is where the records end. The internal scanners became disrupted shortly afterwards. Explosions occurred all the way down the corridor we are about to enter and then spread all over the ship. I do not believe that Dr Crusher can be responsible for the explosions."

Just then the lift doors opened and they both stared in horror at the deck. On one side, closest to the hull, there were several hull breaches where the corridor and the quarters to the right side of them had completely been destroyed. Force fields protected them and the medical teams working on the few people injured.

Data and Jean-Luc stepped aside to allow a small medical team and a stretcher carrying a body into the lift. They then walked slowly together in silence towards the main explosion area.

Geordi was already there with a team of science officers scanning the area. "Sir," LaForge said coming towards them. "We can not find the origin of the explosion, we are still trying."

Data went to work with the team as Jean-Luc surveyed his surroundings. To his knowledge, these were Bailey's quarters.

"Where is Bailey Howard?" he asked.

Dr Selar had just arrived on the scene. She walked over to his side. "We haven't been able to locate her," she replied. "There is too much interference for the tricorders to be able to work properly in this area."

"That is of course if she is still on board the ship," Geordi added. He had heard Commander Riker's comments over the com channel.

"Mr Data does not think that either Ensign Howard or Dr Crusher can be responsible for the explosions," Jean-Luc told him.

"I was thinking the same thing myself," Geordi agreed. "But we don't know who was on board the shuttle with Beverly. The first assumption is that Bailey is with her."

"Agreed," Jean-Luc replied. He issued an order for everyone to get back to work and began to wonder around the burnt out quarters. He was amazed to see that Bailey's quarters appeared not to have a hull breach. The back wall was still intact.

It was as he was nearing the view port that something caught his attention. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of colour; which seemed out of place in the smoked and burnt darkened room.

Turning he walked over to it and realised at once it was Bailey's red hair. It looked just like Beverly's, still shining in the light of the torches being used by what used to be the doorway.

"Dr Selar!" he yelled. "Over here!" he pushed what was left of the couch out of the way and found Bailey.

Dr Selar arrived at his side and checked her vital signs over. She run her hands over Bailey still form. "She appears to be fine Captain," she replied. "A broken arm and nose and she has been knocked unconscious, but apart from that she is fine."

Jean-Luc suppressed a sigh of relief. "Let me know the instant she awakens."

"Aye sir," Selar said as she supervised the medical team now loading Bailey onto a stretcher.

Jean-Luc oversaw the investigations before returning to the bridge. Waiting on his computer screen was a message from Sickbay to inform him that Bailey was awake and in held in the guest quarters on deck twenty under guard.

He was just about to go to speak with her, when he suddenly got a call from Will Riker.

"Come in," Jean-Luc called.

Will Riker came in and took the seat in front of him. "Repairs are underway. Geordi still can't find a cause. He has ruled out an external anomaly. All the evidence shows the explosions were internally triggered."

"Triggered?"

Riker looked a little uncomfortable. "Well we don't know how they were triggered yet. It just seems that things got a little hot and the walls, consoles and panels exploded all over the ship. It's a miracle that only one person died. The security guard outside Ensign Howard's quarters."

"Have you notified his family?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Yes sir," Riker replied looking down.

"I am going to talk with Bailey," Jean-Luc said. "Maybe she will be able to shed some light on the situation."

"Data to Picard."

"Picard here, go ahead Data."

"Sir, the recording of Dr Crusher's conversation with Ensign Howard has been recovered successfully," Data replied.

"Finally, something to go on!" Riker said excitedly.

"Put it through to my terminal Mr Data," Jean-Luc said. "I'll let you know if it shows anything pertinent to the investigation."

"Acknowledged, Data out."

"I hope this shows something Number One," he said slowly.

"Maybe it will show us who left on the ship with Beverly," Riker added.

"It's here," Jean-Luc said, indicating that Riker should come around the table to watch the recording with him.

Jean-Luc activated the recording and they both watched in silence and utter amazement and disbelief. After the recording, the two officers were even more confused.

"Obviously the Howard women have some secrets," Riker said slowly. "He was the person who caused the explosions. At least that mystery is solved."

Jean-Luc nodded. "Who the hell is Devon?"

"Could he be some kind of relation to Ronin?" Riker suggested.

"I was thinking the same myself," Jean-Luc replied.

"Why didn't Beverly say something?" Riker replied. "Obviously she doesn't like Devon."

"Bailey never said once that she knew who Devon was," Jean-Luc said, thinking out loud. "But from her body language, it's almost certain that she does indeed know who Devon is. She seemed scared when Beverly outright asked her about him."

"Which was why Beverly was so mad at her," Riker agreed. "Well at least we know now that Bailey wasn't responsible for Jamie Peitx's death."

Jean-Luc nodded slowly. "It also means that we now know who was in the shuttle with Beverly," Jean-Luc said with a deep breath. "And that she needs saving. Go and hurry Geordi up with the repairs and inform him of… Devon. I will go and have a talk with Bailey about this… Devon."

Riker went back to the bridge followed by the Captain. "Any luck with the sensors yet?" he asked Data who was working hard on a science station at the back of the ship trying to get everything back online.

"Internal sensors are back online," Data replied. "Dr Crusher is the only member of the crew missing."

"That's good news," Riker said giving a wry smile to the Captain. "At least we know for sure its Devon in the shuttle with Beverly."

"Are external sensors online Mr Data?" Jean-Luc asked stepping up behind the android.

"Almost sir," Data replied. "There done," he added looking up at the Captain.

"Sir," the ensign at navigation called.

"Yes Ensign," Jean-Luc said turning to face him.

"A shuttle craft has come into sensor range," he explained.

"Designation?" Jean-Luc asked walking down the ramp to stand in front of his chair. Hopefully Beverly had come to her senses and returned in the shuttle.

"It's the Doucet," the ensign replied.

"Counsellor Troi's shuttle," Riker announced.

"I couldn't think of a better time for the Counsellor to be early," Jean-Luc said trying to hide his disappointed. "If she is feeling up to it after her long trip. Ask her to visit Bailey. Fill her in on everything that has happened Number One, I'll be in Bailey's quarters."

"Yes sir," Riker answered, knowing that Deanna would be needed now, no matter how tired she was.

Jean-Luc immediately strode off the bridge. He was getting angrier and angrier with Bailey. He still couldn't believe that she had brought this… creature on board with her and not said anything to anyone about it. It was obviously a family thing like Ronin had been. Except, from what he had seen, this Devon seemed to have tried to switch hosts, to merge with Beverly while Bailey was still alive. Something just wasn't right here.

Bailey was standing in the dark, facing the view port and watching the stars outside when Jean-Luc strode into her quarters. Suddenly her world was turned upside down. Devon, the only constant in her life for the past ten years had just betrayed her. He was having an affair with Beverly. Bailey knew that Beverly didn't seem to be a willing participant in the relationship, but Devon was.

Jean-Luc didn't know where to begin. "Bailey," he barked.

Bailey slowly turned to face him. "Yes Captain?" she replied softly.

Jean-Luc took in her appearance. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Who the hell is Devon?" he demanded, "And where has he taken Beverly!"

Bailey started sobbing again and she collapsed on the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I don't know," she replied.

"I don't believe you!" Jean-Luc yelled back. "I am ordering you to answer the questions Ensign," he added a little calmer.

"I don't know the answers!" Bailey yelled back. "I really don't know!"

Just then the doors swished open and Deanna Troi walked in. She noticed immediately that Jean-Luc was so caught up in his feelings and worries about Beverly's safety, that he wasn't handling Bailey right at all. Bailey wouldn't talk if she was shouted and hollered at. This needed a woman's touch.

"Captain," Deanna said softly.

Jean-Luc turned to face her, exasperation on his face. "Counsellor," he said, trying to calm himself.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" she asked discreetly, her eyes now on the young woman seated on the floor with her head bowed to her knees.

Jean-Luc nodded and took Deanna over to one side of the room. "I trust Commander Riker was able to brief you."

"He spoke to me whilst I was on the shuttle and told me what happened," Deanna replied. "I decided it would be best if I beamed right over."

"Time is of the essence," Jean-Luc replied wryly. "We need to find Beverly fast. We have no idea what this creature will do to her and Bailey isn't being much help."

"Have the charges of murder been dropped?" Deanna asked.

"I believe so," he replied. "Commander Riker was seeing to it when I left the bridge."

"So it's okay for me to tell her?" Deanna asked, she watched Jean-Luc nod before motioning him to take a seat as she went to the young redheads side.

"Hello Bailey," Deanna said softly.

Bailey was surprised to hear a female voice she hadn't heard before. She lifted her head to find the owner's dark eyes looking tenderly back at her.

Bailey sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Who are you?" she replied.

"I'm Deanna," the Counsellor replied. "Beverly's friend."

"The Counsellor?" Bailey asked.

Deanna nodded. "After seeing the recording of what happened between you and Beverly, security has dropped the charge against you."

"They have?" Bailey asked in disbelief.

Deanna nodded again. "Do you know what happened to Beverly?" she asked.

"No," Bailey replied, "Last time I saw her, she was running out of my quarters. Why? What's happened to her? Is she alright?"

"She left the ship in a shuttlecraft with your friend Devon," Deanna replied and explained what had happened as best she knew to the ship and why they hadn't been able to get Beverly back to the ship. "Do you know where they might have gone?"

Jean-Luc made an impatient sound and Deanna turned to him. He motioned for her to come over. "We need to know what Devon is more importantly."

"Will suggested to me that if we could find out where Beverly had headed, that we could take the Captain's Yacht and leave immediately. We can get more information from Bailey when we are on our way."

Jean-Luc nodded, it was a sound idea. "Agreed."

"I don't know," Bailey called to them, climbing to her feet. "I didn't know he was cheating on me. He told me he couldn't merge with anyone else. I didn't know anything about it."

"Merge with?" Jean-Luc asked in alarm.

"Mate with," Bailey explained. "Join with. It must be a family thing. I haven't had blood relatives around me before."

"Mate with!" Jean-Luc exclaimed.

"Is he like Ronin?" Deanna asked Bailey.

Bailey frowned. "What's Ronin?"

"He was an anaphasic life form," Deanna replied. "He realised that he was compatible with the energy that Beverly and her ancestors had. After her grandmother died, he turned to Beverly so that he could live. He tried to merge with her, even got her to resign from Starfleet before Beverly figured it all out and killed him."

"What did he do?" Bailey asked.

Jean-Luc interrupted Deanna's answer. "I think I have a good idea where Beverly has gone," he said getting to his feet. "Come with me," he ordered.

"Ronin could become corporal," Deanna said as they followed the Captain out of the guest quarters. "But I believe he manifested as a green… mist. Beverly's eyes turned green too."

Bailey shook her head. "Devon doesn't turn into mist. I don't think Devon is an alien lifeform."

"What do you think he is?" Jean-Luc asked.

Bailey shrugged. "He never gave me a straight answer," she replied. "Devon wouldn't hurt Beverly, he's gentle and kind."

"I wish I could believe you," Jean-Luc snapped.

Beverly's recent unusual behaviour patterns had finally all sunk in. The sleepless nights, her seemingly unwillingness to be alone. Devon had been trying to merge with her and for some reason; Beverly hadn't felt she could confide in him, in anyone for that matter, in the conventional way.

The strange play she had given him the other day was a big clue that he had failed to pick up on when she had given it to him to read.

The trio stopped by Beverly's quarters and searched high and low until they found the data pad with the play stored in the memory. Bailey found it under Beverly's pillow.

No more had been added to the memory and Bailey sat on the bed and read in morbid fashion as the two senior officers searched the rest of Beverly's quarters and the files on her computer.

"As I said earlier she was planning to leave tomorrow on shore leave," Jean-Luc replied as he sank disheartened down on Beverly's bed next to Bailey. "That must be where she is heading to. She made sure I knew where she was going this morning. She showed me the location just before we were called to Lieutenant Peitx's quarters."

"If I were her," Bailey said softly. "I'd make sure my knight in shining amour knew for sure where I was going to."

Jean-Luc glanced at the young ensign, then to Deanna before speaking. "Bailey?" he asked.

"Yes Captain?" she replied, looking at him with her luminescent eyes.

"I want your honest word," he said sternly. He watched Bailey nod before continuing. "No matter what your… feelings are for this Devon creature, that you will do everything you can to help us get Beverly back."

"But…" Bailey muttered.

"No buts!" Jean-Luc snapped.

Bailey gave a defeated sigh and slouched back a bit on the bed. "I was only going to say that… Devon has been in my life since I was nine years old and he has never hurt me or anyone else before."

"So who do you think is responsible for injuring the Starfleet Academy Professor?" Deanna asked. Beverly had informed her of this over the com channel before.

Jean-Luc nodded and waited for Bailey's answer. She didn't reply, but stared at Deanna. "And what about the trashing of certain individuals apartments on campus?"

Things Bailey didn't want to believe were being thrust upon her. Her initial idea of cooperating with Jean-Luc and Deanna had been so that she could get Devon back for herself. Now it seemed that everything she had ever believed in were lies. There were other strange occurrences in her childhood that neither one of the senior officers knew about, these could now be explained after the enormous power that Devon had, that she had been witness to this morning.

She looked down from their burning gazes.

"We will not take you along unless you fully intend to do everything you can to help us," Jean-Luc said sternly again.

"Okay!" Bailey snapped. "I'll help you!"

"Right, go and pack something's for the journey," Jean-Luc ordered the Counsellor and Bailey. "I will meet you at the Yacht in half an hour. I will go and report our findings to the rest of the senior staff. Dismissed."

Deanna and Bailey headed to the doors.

"Counsellor?" Jean-Luc called.

"Yes?" Deanna replied turning back.

"Stay with her," he answered.

"I don't know why," Bailey muttered as they left Beverly's quarters. "I haven't got anything left to pack! Have you seen my quarters!"

"Come on," Deanna said putting her hand in the small of her back and pushing her along the corridor to her own quarters three doors away. "You can borrow some of my things."

Bailey towered over the tiny Counsellor and laughed at the absurdity of Deanna's remark.

"We might be different heights," Deanna said haughtily. "But we are about the same size, everything will just be shorter on you. Besides, you can order a few things from the replicator."

Bailey followed Deanna the rest of the way in silence and sat on Deanna's bed whist she threw a few belongings into a travel case. "Deanna?" Bailey asked as Deanna did up the suitcase and tested the anti grav unit.

"Yes?" Deanna asked, flicking her thick dark curly hair over her shoulder.

"Everyone is blaming me for what has happened," Bailey said softly.

"No they aren't," Deanna replied, knowing it wasn't the truth. But it was more complicated than Bailey realised.

"I am partly Betazoid Deanna," Bailey replied stubbornly. "So don't lie to me."

"I thought you couldn't sense anything unless you tried really hard," Deanna said in a suspicious tone of voice. "I never felt you trying hard then."

"I don't need to try hard with you," Bailey replied. "In fact, for the past hour or so, I haven't tried at all and I can sense everyone blaming me."

"Bailey," Deanna began, "I don't mean to sound rude. But your senses are not trained. I can sense what you are sensing. But I also know that the blame is only directed at you because they have nobody else to blame. Nobody else, apart from you, me and the Captain actually know what you have just told us."

"Oh…" Bailey sighed, that knowledge made her feel a little better. "I suppose I better book myself in on some kind of training course after we have got Beverly back."

"I think that will be a good idea," Deanna nodded. "Now come on. We don't want to be late."

They arrived at the yacht to find Captain Picard and Commander Riker already there overseeing the preparations for the launch of the luxury Captain's Yacht.

Riker came over. "Nothing was damage," he said happily. "Devon must not have known about the Yacht. He pretty much managed to disable all the major functions on the ship in about five minutes. We are in the process of trying to save the warp core. But it's not looking good. If we have to jettison the warp core, it will take us at least a week before a new one will be delivered and installed."

"So what your saying is that we are on our own?" Deanna said in a hushed tone.

"Until we are fully operational again," Riker replied glancing at Bailey who was listening to their conversation intently. "You will be on your own after communications separate us."

"Well…" Bailey said brightly. "You better hurry up then," she said as she walked away and joined the Captain at the entrance to the Yacht.

Will Riker raised his eyebrows and grinned at Deanna, "Well, well, well," he said mischievously. "I think you've got yourself a baby-Beverly!"

Even with the surrounding circumstances, Deanna had to laugh. "I always wondered what Beverly would have been like if she hadn't learned self-control. Now I guess I get to find out!"

"Good luck," Riker said with a grin. His expression changed. "I mean it," he said seriously. "Take care of yourself."

"I will," Deanna said as she placed a kiss on his lips, before joining Bailey and Jean-Luc in the Yacht.

"Lets go," Jean-Luc said after issuing a few last minute orders to his second in command.

Bailey was the first inside. She gazed around the luxury yacht before speaking. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed, forgetting herself for the moment.

There was the main room, which featured a large conference table and chairs, and various built in couches against the walls that could easily double as beds.

To her right side, Bailey could see a corridor leading out of the living area and four doors leading off it. To her left, was another corridor that led to the engine room and a small sickbay.

Up ahead, Bailey could see the view screen and the four stations; opps, tactical, navigation and science. Her gazed moved to her companions on this rescue mission.

She noticed the Captain staring at her with a suspicious look on his face. Her senses were failing her at the moment, she felt like someone was laying a damp cloth on her senses. She glanced at Deanna and realised instantly that it was Deanna.

"What are you doing?" she asked Deanna and tried to keep her temper in check.

Deanna waited until the Captain had taken his seat in the navigation chair, before answering Bailey's question. "I am trying to help you."

"By blocking my senses!" Bailey snapped.

"Its for your own good," Deanna said taking Bailey's arm and guiding her to the dining table situated near the back of the main room on the yacht. "I have a theory."

"Oh do tell," Bailey said sarcastically as she sank down heavily in the chair opposite Deanna.

"Your senses started getting stronger the moment that Devon took off with Beverly right?" Deanna asked and watched as Bailey nodded. "And Beverly was planning to leave the ship by tomorrow morning. What if, the reason she was leaving was because I was arriving on the ship tomorrow afternoon and Devon had been damping down your empathic senses?"

Bailey stared at Deanna as if she has two horns growing out of her head and her ears had fallen off. "You think he stopped my empathy?"

"It's just a theory," Deanna was quick to point out. "And if its true Bailey, to suddenly have all this ability thrust upon you all in one go and not be able to gradually become Empathic may damage your lobe."

"It can hurt me?" she asked softly, suddenly worried.

"Yes," Deanna nodded. "I can try and help you control your abilities, but from what I am sensing from you, I think you may be a lot stronger than I am. Was your father an empath?"

"He was telepathic," Bailey replied. "Not very strong, but he could read peoples minds."

"Well that explains it then," Deanna said wistfully. "I think we may have to use medicine to dampen your senses until we can get you some help. I can help you, but not as well as a professional trainer can."

"I suppose I'll be the oldest pupil in the class," Bailey said glumly.

"Probably," Deanna sighed. "I am going to tell the Captain. You go and pick a bedroom," she added with a smile, trying hard to brighten the situation. "There are four down that corridor. The first one is always the Captains."

Bailey smiled briefly and wondered what else could possibly go wrong for her today. This was like something out of her worst nightmares. But Bailey was strong and resilient. She had already shown some of her weakness through tears earlier, and she was not about to do it again. She was a proud Howard woman, and wouldn't show her fears and vulnerability in the light of day again.

She picked up the tiny case of toiletries Deanna had lent her and wandered down the hallway to find a bedroom.

Meanwhile Deanna had taken the seat beside the Captain and watched as he launched the Yacht into space.

Deanna waited until the Captain had set the course and checked everything was running properly before telling him her theory about Bailey's empathic abilities.

"I think medication might be in order," he replied. "We are already on a difficult mission and we don't want anything else to happen."

"I'll contact the Enterprise and speak to Dr Selar to find an appropriate inhibiter for Bailey," Deanna offered.

"Make it so," Jean-Luc replied.

Chapter Three

Beverly and Devon had been travelling for about four hours now on autopilot. Beverly had sat ramrod straight in the pilots chair pretending to be busy flying the shuttlecraft. She had tried to launch a distress beacon an hour ago, but had paid for it.

She lifted her hand to see if the bleeding from the cut above her eye had stopped. Peering at her fingertip, she sighed softly. The bleeding had stopped, but her head ached profoundly. Devon had smashed her head on the control panel in front of her.

She didn't know where Devon had gone to after his short but violent outburst, but knew that although he appeared to not to be there, he would be there in a flash if she tried something.

It had all happened so fast, her discovery of where Devon had come from and her leaving the ship. She was worried about what had happened to the ship after she had left, but was even more worried about Bailey. She didn't know whether Bailey was capable of surviving without Devon and also more importantly, whether Devon had murdered her cousin before leaving with her on the shuttle.

Beverly's whole world had been pulled out from under her and she had no idea what to do to make it better again. She couldn't find the cure; she had no way of killing him. She felt utterly helpless.

She remain sitting at the helm, as alert as possible for the rest of the journey to the planet Belleza. It was an old Earth colony, Spanish in origin. The climate, the surroundings and the people tried to comply with all the Spanish traditions.

Beverly had booked a small Spanish villa up in the mountains and overlooking the amazing purple sea. It even had it's own private swimming pool. Beverly would have enjoyed the luxurious surroundings under different circumstances, but paid little attention to the view as she climbed out of the shuttle she had landed in the grounds of the villa.

"It's beautiful," Devon said in wonder.

Beverly jumped, she hadn't heard from Devon for hours. She glanced at him but didn't answer him, and climbed the steps in silence to the front door of the villa. Her hand strayed over the entrance panel for a moment as she tried to rack her brains for the key code she had been given.

"What's wrong?" Devon asked, stepping up to her side.

"I can't remember the code," she replied in monotone.

"One moment," Devon said as he disappeared from sight. A second later, the door clicked open and he stood on the inside grinning at her. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"Piss off!" Beverly snapped brushing past him and stepping inside the villa.

"Oh that's nice!" Devon exclaimed. "I help you out and you tell me to piss off!"

Beverly turned and faced him. "What the hell!" she exclaimed. "You want me to be grateful!"

"We are here alone now Beverly," he said rolling his eyes. "It's just you and me," he added. "We may as well make the best of it. I promise not to hurt you again if you promise not to do anything stupid."

"No deal!" Beverly snapped. "I don't want to be here with you! And I am not going to cooperate with you!"

"You will do," he replied in a low menacing voice. "I'll make sure of it."

Beverly was grinding her teeth together in order to keep her temper in check. There was no point in loosing control now and nothing good would come of it.

She glanced around her surroundings. She had picked a wonderful villa, beautifully decorated. The traditional white Spanish walls and polished wooden floor boards covered in thick rugs where needed. A spiral staircase led upstairs and the entire front wall of the villa was made of giant glass doors that led onto a terracotta balcony, to show the wondrous view of the bay and the beautiful purple sea.

"I'm going to go and explore," Devon said. "By the way, don't get any ideas about contacting the Enterprise. I know where you are and what you're doing all the time and it won't take me a second to get back here."

"Maybe you should put on some clothes," Beverly replied sourly.

"Why?" he said perplexed. "I am invisible."

"You'll have more fun if you're not invisible," she replied, thinking that he might leave her alone for longer if he was having fun.

"It makes no difference," he replied nonchalantly. "You and Bailey are the only ones that have the ability to see me."

"Oh," Beverly mumbled.

"Get some sleep or whatever you humans do after a long trip," Devon said. "You'll need your energy for later."

Beverly filled with dread at the implications of his words. She stood still for a moment trying to calm herself enough so that she could think rationally enough to come up with a plan to solve her current dilemma.

End of part five 


	6. Chapter 6

**Dvorovoi Part Six**

**By ****Karen Page**

She decided to do some exploring herself and walked out of the sitting room into the kitchen. It was large, spacious and very modern. On the breakfast bar, there sat a computer.

She stared at it for a moment and then excitedly went to it. She had no intention of contacting the Enterprise, she wanted to do some more research and hopefully come up with more an idea of what exactly Devon was. He had unintentionally given her a few more insights.

She activated the terminal and came up short when the information displayed was in Spanish. It said in pretty colourful writing; _Bienvenidos al planeta Belleza. Esperamos que disfruten de su estancia. Si necesitan cualquier cosa durante su estancia, no duden en contactar con nosotros_. _Si desean usar el idioma Estandar de la Federación, pulse el botón azul._ She slammed her fist on the counter in anger and decided to come back to it after she had composed herself enough to think straight.

She glanced down at her uniform and decided a change of clothes and a shower was in order. She replicated some new clothes and went in search of the bedrooms and the en suite bathroom.

Jean-Luc, Deanna and Bailey had been travelling for nearly three hours mostly in silence. Jean-Luc and Deanna had discussed a few approaches in regards to the mission, but they had only been stalling for time whilst they waited for Bailey to come back from her room down the hall.

"Is she still upset?" Jean-Luc asked breaking the ten-minute silence as he sipped his earl grey.

"She is," Deanna replied. "But to be honest, I don't think there is any point in prolonging this. She'll be even more upset when we question her. The inhibiter I gave her is working at full capacity now."

"I just want to know what in the Universe she was playing at bringing that creature onto my ship!" Jean-Luc exclaimed putting his tea down rather harshly.

"I get the feeling Bailey didn't have any idea what Devon was planning," Deanna replied softly. "She feels betrayed. At the moment her whole world has come apart."

"We should have discussed this fully on the Enterprise then left her behind," Jean-Luc said. "She is only going to hinder our efforts to rescue Beverly. She is emotionally involved."

"Aren't you?" Deanna asked, her eyes burning into his until he looked away. Deanna decided to soften the blow. "We all care deeply for Beverly."

"She is emotionally involved with the perpetrator of the crime," Jean-Luc replied, trying to keep his cool. Deanna had just basically said that she knew he was in love with Beverly. But then again, why wouldn't Deanna know? She was after all an empath.

"When we talk to her," Deanna said nodding in agreement. "I will try to assess her devotion to Devon."

"I for one am not waiting any longer," Jean-Luc said sitting back in his chair. "Picard to Ensign Howard."

"Coming," Bailey replied knowing exactly what the Captain wanted. Bracing herself, she left the somewhat comfort of her room and went to face him.

Jean-Luc and Deanna sat at the conference table, both sipping tea and watching her every movement as she joined them at the table. She noticed that Deanna had a computer terminal in front of her. No doubt she would be logging every detail of the upcoming conversation into the computer.

To be truthful, Bailey was amazed that they had waited this long to talk to her about Devon in more detail.

"Right Bailey," Jean-Luc began. "I think you know why we have called you here."

Bailey nodded. "Yes sir," she replied dutifully.

"We want to know everything that you know about the creature named Devon," Jean-Luc explained. "We need every advantage here. No matter what cost, we need to get my CMO back. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," she replied. "I'll do my best."

"Yes you will," Jean-Luc assured her.

Bailey swallowed hard and glanced at Deanna, who gave her a brief reassuring smile to help her relax a little. Deanna must have been sensing her fear.

"What is Devon exactly?" Jean-Luc asked as Deanna tapped a few keys on the computer in front of her.

Bailey looked down at her entwined fingers before looking up at the Captain again. "I don't know," she replied hesitantly.

She swallowed hard as controlled anger flickered on Jean-Luc's face.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Jean-Luc snapped, glancing at Deanna.

"She's telling the truth Captain," Deanna interjected.

"Yes I am!" Bailey added.

"Why don't you tell us what you do know?" Deanna suggested.

Bailey waited for the Captain's nod before continuing. "After my parents died, I was sent to live with a friend of my mothers. She was a single mother of a girl a couple of years older than me. I was nine and she was eleven," Bailey recited. She made sure she had their full attentions before continuing.

"I didn't get along with Lesley, my foster sister. In fact she could be a right bitch when she wanted to be. She started being troublesome at school and then got even worse. She was hell at home and led a gang of school bullies. Elizabeth, my foster mum, was going through hell with her. It took a few months before she realised all the trouble started when I arrived. So basically I was told to keep myself to myself. I wasn't allowed to eat with them etcetera," Bailey pursed her lips, trying to hold back the feelings of hurt. "Anyway, this meant I spent a lot of time alone in my room. That's when Devon showed up," she added looking at them both in turn.

"When you were nine?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Yes," Bailey nodded. "Almost ten. I suppose looking back on it now, that I was vulnerable. He told me that he wanted to be my best friend. I know that seems silly now, that I would fall for that, but I was nine years old. Devon looked like a nine-year-old boy. We grew up together. I didn't have any friends at school, I was always on my own and to have the offer of constant companionship was too good to be true."

"He didn't…" Deanna's voice trailed off.

"He didn't touch me," Bailey said with a half smile. "Well not like that anyway. We kissed quite a bit when I was…" she thought about it for a while. "…Fifteen, maybe fourteen. But that was it."

"But you said something about merging," Jean-Luc interrupted.

"That happened later," she replied with a half smile that reminded Jean-Luc immediately of Beverly.

"How?" Jean-Luc asked seriously.

Bailey blushed a little and glanced at Deanna for help. Deanna looked down at her keyboard. "Well…" Bailey mumbled, "The usual way."

"The usual way?" Jean-Luc asked.

Bailey realised that Jean-Luc wanted it spelled out to him, so that no mistakes could be made. She could feel her cheeks burning and took a deep breath before continuing. "Devon could become corporal. It was as if he were a human male. He aged at the same time as I did. We are the same age. So it was just like… as if… like he was a human lover. Nothing was different."

"Oh," Jean-Luc said filling with dread. His mind immediately went to Beverly. She wasn't a child when she met Devon, and from what he was hearing he knew that Devon must have moved in on Beverly pretty quickly.

"Go on," Deanna said, trying to keep her own emotions in check and deal with the Captains. She knew that he was thinking exactly the same thing as she was.

Bailey frowned, "I've finished. We just stayed together and Devon went everywhere that I went. He came with me to Starfleet. He was always with me. When he speaks, no one else can hear him. When he becomes corporal, no one else can see him. They can bump into him though," she added with a grin. "He had to learn to dodge out of peoples paths."

"Anything?" Jean-Luc asked Deanna.

Deanna looked up from the screen. "The computer is analysing all the information for the nearest matches. I have asked it to search for any alien, entity or physical phenomenon. Hopefully it will come up with something we can use."

An idea suddenly came to Jean-Luc. "Did you ever do this Bailey?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Search the computer for Devon?" Bailey asked and Jean-Luc nodded. "Nope, it never occurred to me."

Jean-Luc rolled his eyes, she had replied a little more flippantly than he liked. "What else can you tell us about him?"

Bailey bit her bottom lip gently. "What else do you want to know?" she asked after thinking for a while and coming up with nothing.

"How to get rid of him for a start," Jean-Luc replied icily.

Bailey bristled at Jean-Luc's attitude, but caught a warning glare from Deanna and swallowed her acerbic remark before she had uttered it. "I don't know," she replied. "I have never needed to before. Usually when he pissed me off, I'd tell him to leave me alone and he did."

Deanna's eyes widened at the curse words escaping from this seemingly innocent looking young lady. "But he always came back?" Deanna asked, trying to ignore the Captain's anger. He was seething. It seemed that Bailey knew, just like Beverly did, how to wind him up.

"Yeah always," Bailey replied, softening a little. Deanna had a way of calming her down somehow. She didn't know whether Deanna was using her empathy on her again.

"Oh!" Bailey said suddenly remembering something. "This past week, Devon was hardly ever there, especially in the night. He said he had a hobby or something. We argued about it," she looked at the Captain. "You caught me arguing with him. Do you remember?"

"Yes I remember," he replied.

Deanna was patiently looking at the computer terminal waiting for the search results when she felt Bailey's sudden change of emotion. Bailey went from being angry and hurt at the way Jean-Luc was acting as if what was happening to Beverly was all her fault, to sadness and regret in one foul swoop.

"What is it?" Deanna asked, looking up to find that Bailey had lowered her head.

Bailey looked up, fresh tears were spilling out of her violet eyes. "I can't believe I've been so stupid," Bailey muttered, trying to control her emotions. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

It was heart wrenching to watch and Deanna climbed to her feet and pulled Bailey into her arms. "You weren't to know Bailey," Deanna cooed.

The scene in front of the usually stoic Captain was beginning to tug at his heartstrings. It was only then, that he truly believed and realised that Bailey had been tricked by a very clever and conniving entity. Devon had used and abused her since she was a child. He had used her fragility and vulnerability and innocence as a small-orphaned girl against her.

"Bailey," he said softly.

Bailey opened her eyes and peered at him through her tears. "I'm sorry Captain," she said in a syrupy whisper.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he replied and gave her a tender warm smile. "It's me who should apologise. I haven't been in the best mood with you."

"You're forgiven," she replied with a small half hearted smile.

Deanna had to suppress a giggle at Bailey's cheek. She was about to add something to the conversation, when the computer signalled that it had finally finished its search and that the results were ready for viewing.

She let go of Bailey and touched her cheek tenderly before rounding the table and returning to her chair in front of the computer.

"Okay," Deanna said making herself comfortable. "Lets see what we have."

Jean-Luc and Bailey waited patiently for Deanna to delete the entries that were of no use and to find one that was the nearest match. She read a few entries aloud, but Bailey dismissed them. It wasn't until she has gone into a subfolder of demons, spirits and ghosts that they found what they were looking for.

There were several descriptions that matched Devon's in some areas but not in others. Jean-Luc and Bailey both moved their chairs so that they could see the screen as well.

They scrolled through the demons and through the ghosts and finally came to spirits. It was here that they found the first mention of the Dvorovoi. Deanna read the brief information out loud to make it easier on the others leaning over her shoulders trying to see.

"_Dvorovoi_," she read. "_Slavic household spirits of male sex who copulate with the female members of the family to which they have attached themselves.__ Dvorovoi__ are extremely jealous and may strangle a human mistress if she proves unfaithful."_

Bailey sat back in her chair. "Devon tried to strangle me this morning," she said in a scared voice.

Jean-Luc and Deanna both turned to face her. "This is it?" Deanna asked hopefully.

Bailey pulled the zip down on the back of her uniform to show them the red strangulation marks left on her neck from Devon's attack on her that morning.

"And he strangled Jamie Peitx," Jean-Luc added.

"I'll get some more information on the Dvorovoi," Deanna said turning back to the screen. "Hopefully it will tell us how to… exorcise him."

It took a few seconds for some more information to appear. Deanna again read it out loud. "_Male yard spirits from "dvor" - yard. Like the domovoi, he usually resembles the male head of household and has preferences as to the colour of pets and livestock. He is usually malicious and sometimes, but not often, deadly. He is appeased by placing a shiny object, slice of bread and piece of sheep's wool in the stables while saying "Master Dvorovik, I offer you this gift in gratitude. Please look after the cattle and feed them well." If he is completely out of control he is punished in the following way: The head of household wove a three-tailed whip from a corpse's shroud, dipped it in wax, ignited it and whipped all corners of the cattle shed and manger, hoping to beat the spirit into submission."_ She finished and turned to look at the others frowning.

"He's a farm spirit?" Jean-Luc said in disbelief. "That doesn't sound right."

"This reference is very old," Deanna said. "It's a Russian folk tale."

Bailey, who up to this point had sat in relative silence, spoke up. "Do you think, that with all these centuries passing, that Devon, or the Dvorovoi has somehow evolved?"

Jean-Luc nodded his head in agreement. "I think you must be right Bailey," he said slowly. "The other reference to the Dvorovoi was much more modern."

"Um…" Bailey mumbled. "Where I was living, back on Earth, with my parents, used to be a farm. My mother converted the old farmhouse and the barn into the surgery. She was a Doctor." Suddenly the colour drained from Bailey's face.

"What is it?" Deanna asked urgently.

Bailey took a deep shuddering breath and jumped to her feet, tears of anger and frustration streaming down her cheeks. "My mum was strangled!" she cried suddenly making both Deanna and Jean-Luc jump at the intensity of her outburst. "She had been alone with me for five years before my dad came back from his deep space mission! My dad must have made love to my mum and Devon strangled her because she proved unfaithful!"

In a fit of total fury and rage, Bailey threw her chair across the room. Jean-Luc and Deanna both had to hold her to stop her from doing any more damage.

It took Deanna and Jean-Luc over an hour to calm her down; eventually they both thought it would be best for her to go to her room and try and sleep. They could both tell she was exhausted and it was now almost two in the morning.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," Bailey mumbled before she walked soberly down the corridor to her room.

After she left, Deanna went back immediately to the computer and Jean-Luc sat beside her.

"I have found some more," Deanna said running a hand through her thick black hair.

"Only read out the parts that are relevant," Jean-Luc replied.

"Okay…" Deanna agreed distantly. "Right, I have searched for anything relevant to the merging or host choosing."

"Do you think the Dvorovoi's perchance for picking pets and livestock's colour may have something to do with Beverly and Bailey's red hair colour?" Jean-Luc asked.

"I was thinking the same myself," Deanna said looking back at him. "Devon may be treating them the same way as the ancient Dvorovoi cared for the animals on the farm. Sort of a mix between the copulation with the female species of the household and the animals."

"I agree," Jean-Luc said. "Which at least is a good thing."

"What makes you say that?" Deanna asked in surprise.

"Well he took care of the animals," Jean-Luc replied. "He wouldn't let them be harmed in anyway."

'_I hope you right_,' Deanna thought as she nodded and looked back at the screen. "Right here we go," she said, sitting up straighter in her chair. "In regards to hosting it says; _The Dvorovoi are very precise when it comes to choosing a host. They usually prefer a female with their favourite hair colour between the ages of thirty and sixty-five_," Deanna read, she glanced at the Captain at her side. "Which is why he probably left Bailey and went after Beverly."

"Agreed," Jean-Luc nodded.

"_Dvorovoi have been known to switch hosts, before their current host has died. This usually occurs when the Dvorovoi has been existing within a host that is either too old or too young._" Deanna read on. "_If the Dvorovoi's current host dies, or is strangled for being unfaithful, the Dvorovoi can lay dormant within a family member for up to ten months during which time the Dvorovoi gets used to his host. After this period of lying dormant, the Dvorovoi must proceed and initiate the hosting. This is achieved by copulating with the host. After the hosting is complete, the host is compliant and welcomes the Dvorovoi into her life."_

_"In some rare cases," _Deanna went on, _"The Dvorovoi have been known to use children as their hosts as a last resort. This usually occurs when the only female left in the household is a child. The Dvorovoi befriends the vulnerable child and has often been mistaken for a common childhood trait, the imaginary friend. The Dvorovoi must initiate the hosting as soon as the host reaches the age of sixteen. The Dvorovoi often acts as a best friend, then boyfriend as the child nears the age of consent."_

"That explains what happened to Bailey," Jean-Luc said slowly. "It does look as though she was right in regards to her mother. Devon had no other place to go after murdering her mother."

"Devon was just biding his time inside Bailey," Deanna said nodding at Jean-Luc.

"Where did Devon come from?" Jean-Luc asked.

"We need to do some research into Bailey's family to find that out," Deanna replied. "But if Bailey's father was only away for five years, that's the longest that Devon could have been with her."

"Agreed," Jean-Luc replied. "Someone else in their family may have been the host."

"Her grandmother?" Deanna wondered out loud.

"Her grandmother died before her parent's did," Jean-Luc said nodding. "That's a possibility. Have you found anything pertaining to this?" Jean-Luc asked.

"One moment," Deanna said taping in a few commands. "Okay, there's not much. _The Dvorovoi usually pass from female to female in the family, dating back across the centuries. In some cases, the Dvorovoi can be summoned by a spell and may only last for a short time_," she glanced at the Captain. "They even give the spell here," she said before continuing to read._ "They complete the task they have been summoned for and simply disappear afterwards. In this case, the Dvorovoi does not require a host and therefore does not take one. The Dvorovoi is closely related to the Dimorovoi. This spirit lives inside the house but does not harm or even show himself to the household._

_"If the Dvorovoi is present for considerable lengths of time and has not been passed down through the generations of the household, then several cases have been known where the Dvorovoi has been summoned either accidentally or purposely. It typical cases, the first host of the Dvorovoi uses the ouija board and accidentally brings the Dvorovoi into existence."_

"Perhaps somebody in Bailey's family once played about with an ouija board?" Deanna suggested.

"It is a possibility," Jean-Luc agreed. "It doesn't by any chance tell us how to exorcise the Dvorovoi?"

"No," Deanna sighed. "But it does give a list of contacts who may know some more than what's we have already found out. I'll send them all a letter. Hopefully someone will know how to help us."

Jean-Luc sat back in his chair and stretched the muscles in his back. "We should be arriving at Belleza tomorrow evening at about nineteen hundred hours. I intend to do my best to have a plan of action ready to set in motion."

"I better contact Belleza and find the address of the Villa where Beverly is staying," Deanna said turning back to the computer. "And find somewhere where we can land the Yacht. It's a lot bigger than a shuttlecraft."

Jean-Luc nodded and went to the pilot's chair to check on their course and destination.

"I found her villa," Deanna called moments later. "It's on the south coast of a country called Barcelona, right on the bay. It looks beautiful and is extremely isolated. I have also been informed that there is a large plateau in the mountain just above the villa itself. We can land the Yacht there."

"Good work Counsellor," Jean-Luc said with a smile.

"All we have to do now it wait for the replies to the letters I sent out about the Dvorovoi," Deanna added slumping down in the chair beside him.

"Well Deanna," Jean-Luc said turning to the Counsellor. "You look exhausted, especially after your trip back from the conference. I suggest you make use of the bedrooms."

"I think I will," Deanna said climbing slowly to her feet. "See you in the morning."

Beverly had taken her shower, and utterly exhausted she had laid down on the large oval bed in the master bedroom and fallen asleep.

That was where Devon found her when he arrived back from his exploring a few hours later. He stood in the doorway for a moment gazing upon her beauty. She was wearing a pair of pyjamas buttoned right up to her neck, and Devon knew it was because she was afraid of him.

Devon didn't want Beverly to be afraid of him; he wanted her to feel safe, as safe as he could keep her. He was capable of great feats and would do anything in his power to protect her from any danger. All she had to do in return was love him and keep him a secret. After he had successfully switched hosts, he would have to deal with Bailey. This would mean he would have to "snuff" her out. It was something he disliked to do, but it was nonetheless something that he had to do. He had never been totally compatible with her anyway because she wasn't a pure blood. She had alien DNA, something that caused him pain and discomfort everyday. The death of Bailey's foster parent and sister was another one of the "snuffs" that he considered a necessity. Finding out that Bailey actually had a living relative, was the greatest news this Dvorovoi had ever heard. He had planned everything, even getting Bailey expelled from the academy. He had done all of this for the woman lying on the bed in front of him.

He approached her slowly and lay down behind her, pulling her close to him. Beverly opened her eyes as Devon pulled her close to him. Her mouth went dry and she licked at her dry lips.

"Are you awake?" Devon whispered softly in her ear.

She didn't answer and instead burst into tears. "I can't take this," she sobbed. "I don't know what to do…"

"Come on," Devon said, thinking that a new tactic and a better location might be in order. A bed seemed to suggest things. He had no intention of forcing her into doing something she didn't want to do whilst they were here and away from prying eyes. As far as Devon was concerned, now he had all the time in the world to complete the merging.

He held his hand out to her after climbing off the bed. "We need to talk," he added.

Beverly didn't take his hand, but did get up and follow him down the stairs and out onto the balcony. It was beautiful outside, in the distance just above the sea on the horizon; the golden suns of Belleza were gradually rising to bring the world daylight.

They stood in silence for the moment, marvelling at the paradise they were surrounded by. Beverly's hair gently swayed around her face in the breeze and Devon watched her as she leant on the railing quietly crying into the early morning darkness.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Devon said softly.

Beverly glanced at him briefly; he stood next to her on her left leaning on the railing. "I find that hard to believe," she replied.

"I'm sorry for everything I have done," he replied. "I was desperate."

"You are a murderer!" Beverly exclaimed. "You murdered Jamie Peitx!"

"I didn't," he replied. "Bailey did it."

Beverly looked him right in the eye. "Bailey did not do it," she said between clenched teeth.

"She did," he lied. Not having a conscious, it was easy for him to not allow the outright lie to register on his face.

Beverly didn't question him further about Jamie's death. She wasn't convinced and only knew that she believed Bailey was innocent. "Why me?" she asked. "Why did you leave Bailey?"

Devon took a deep breath. "Beverly," he said. "Believe me when I tell you that you are special. You took my breath away when I first saw you."

Beverly rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that!" she snapped.

"You are fiery aren't you," he chuckled. "You don't know anything about me. Well not enough to judge me so harshly."

"Obviously where you come from, violating someone isn't such a big deal," Beverly snapped. "You make my skin crawl!"

"Listen to me for a moment," he replied. "I had to do that, you would never have been able to see me if I hadn't."

"I don't want to see you!" Beverly yelled.

"Calm down," he said moving to stand behind her.

As soon as his fingers touched her as he wound his arms around her from behind, Beverly shuddered. The attraction between them was electric. Her pulse rate quickened and she swallowed hard.

Devon grinned with satisfaction; the last time they had made love had obviously worked a lot better than he thought it had. Devon had the power to appear in the corporal form of Beverly's dream man. Although Beverly would never have admitted it, Devon turned her on.

"I only want to protect you," he whispered softly, his lips on her sensitive ear. "I will protect you from harm and keep you safe. You never ever have to been alone again. There will be no more crying yourself to sleep at night because you're lonely."

"I don't," she protested weakly, she was shaking with the intensity of his touch. Something inside was warning her that something here was very wrong.

"Yes you do," he whispered back. "I've seen you do it. I'm not going to interfere with your career. I'll go wherever you want me to go. We can go back to the Enterprise. You'll be able to be the Chief Medical Officer. You can go to breakfast with the Captain. You can even go out to functions and dances with him. Nothing will change; except for the fact you'll no longer come home to an empty room. I will be there waiting for you. I'll do anything for you."

Devon slowly turned her around in his arms so that she was facing him. The early morning sun sparkled on the wet tear streaks on her beautiful face and he tenderly wiped them away with kisses.

Beverly's stomach flipped over with the desire she was feeling for this entity. Her breathing was staggered as she closed her eyes and allowed the erotic feelings to wash over her.

His lips finally met hers and despite herself, she kissed him back hungrily, wrapping her arms around him as she attempted to merge her body with his.

"I want to make love to you," she heard him whisper in a hoarse sexy voice as he devoured the silky skin of her neck. "I want to kiss you all over."

Beverly felt heady with his words and the wondrous sensations he was sending throughout her body. Her knees buckled under her Devon caught her and swept her up into his arms. He carried her inside, but they got no further than the rug in the middle of the living room floor, their lips locked together in constant battled the entire way.

He eased her to the floor, straddling her thighs and pulled back to get a look at her. She gazed back up at him and watched mesmerised as he slowly unbuttoned her white pyjama top. He spread the top open and smiled in delight before lowering his mouth to the swells of her breasts.

Beverly arched her back from the floor towards him, her fingernails clawing at the pile of the rug beneath her. Devon felt so good; she had no idea why she had been denying herself. Devon was right she was lonely; she hated coming home from work or dinner with Jean-Luc only to be alone.

Devon was an answer to her prayers, not exactly the right answer, but very close. Beverly lost herself in her senses, closing her eyes to block out her the appearance of her lover. She had no idea that she was playing with fire; she was skating on the edge. Devon had her right where he wanted her now. Soon, she would have no doubts about him. Soon she would accept him into her life and not question where he came from. He would be in her life and Beverly wouldn't know any difference.

The release came almost instantly, her stomach tightened and then the incredible wave of pleasure tore through her body, igniting her senses. She cried out in response and arched her back off the floor, her fingers clawing the rug beside her. Beverly kept tumbling over and over the edge, acutely aware that Devon hadn't stopped pleasuring her. Beverly passed out.

Devon smiled and lay down beside her and pulled her into his embrace. She was his, all his. There was no way she would be able to resist his touch now.

Beverly awoke moments later to feel Devon's fingers slowly stroking her hair; he leant over and kissed her temple.

"Great wasn't it?" Devon asked, lifting his head from her shoulder.

"Mmm…" Beverly mumbled; it was the best she could come up with under the circumstances. She wriggled underneath him and Devon slid off her body and pulled her into his embrace.

"Sleep my love," he whispered into her ear.

"Morning," Deanna said as she joined Jean-Luc at the table in the living area of the shuttle.

"Morning," Jean-Luc replied, rewarding her with the briefest of smiles.

"Did you actually go to bed at all last night?" Deanna asked as she helped herself to some of the food Jean-Luc had laid out on the table for them.

"I managed to sleep a few hours," Jean-Luc replied.

"Has Bailey surfaced yet?" Deanna asked as she buttered a piece of warm toast.

"I haven't seen her since we sent her to bed last night," he replied. "I think I'll go and check on her."

Jean-Luc got up and went and knocked on Bailey's door. It opened almost immediately and Bailey stood the other side, still dressed in the same uniform as the day before. "You didn't sleep at all did you?" he asked.

Bailey looked up and for once saw the sensitive eyes he usually hid from others. "No," she replied as she tried to unsuccessfully stifle a yawn. "Too many things going through my mind."

"Same here," he replied with a warm, albeit brief smile. "The Counsellor and I are going to try and come up with a plan of action. We would appreciate any insight you could give us."

"I'll just be a minute," she replied. "I better get washed and changed."

"We'll be next door. Breakfast is on the table," he added. "If you're up to it."

"Thanks," Bailey replied.

Jean-Luc returned to the living area of the ship and took his seat at the table. "It's going to be hard on her," he said ruefully.

Deanna nodded. "I think that what Bailey is going through, is a lot worse than what Beverly is going through," she replied as she picked bits off a croissant and nibbled them delicately. "And I can't begin to imagine what it feels like to know that the… man Bailey has been in love with for all these years is responsible for her parents deaths."

"Do you think she will be able to handle what we are about to do?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. "If I had known all of this before we left, I would have left her back on the Enterprise and spoken to her over communications."

"Bailey is very strong," Deanna replied. "She won't show her feelings, just like Beverly. Beverly has perfected the art of personal detachment as a Doctor. She pushes her feelings deep inside and portrays only professionalism. She has done it for so long, that she sometimes does it in her personal life. Bailey is just the same. But I think her detachment from her feelings has stemmed from her horrid childhood."

"If only she had come to live with Beverly all those years ago," Jean-Luc said distantly. "She may have brought Devon along with her, but she would have been spared all those years of seclusion while she lived with Elizabeth and Lesley."

"And in such a close knit situation," Deanna added nodding. "Devon would have been spotted earlier."

"Exactly," Jean-Luc nodded. "And if Bailey is as like Beverly as I think she is, she probably won't be able to hide her anger either!" they both chuckled at the thought.

"It is healthy," Deanna said with a grin.

Bailey appeared in the doorway looking clean and a little refreshed after her quick shower and change. She was pulling a brush through her fiery hair as she took a seat at the table. "I didn't sleep last night," she said for Deanna's benefit. "I was doing a bit of research of my own on the computer in my bedroom."

Jean-Luc raised his eyebrow. "Did you find anything?" he asked.

"Just some information that explained a lot of things to me," Bailey replied. "I don't think that I'm so stupid now. The Dvorovoi are very intelligent beings. I don't think that I would have seen through his masquerade even if I had looked. Everything he did, makes sense to me now."

Deanna listened as Bailey spoke, knowing that Bailey had buried her feelings deep within herself so that she was able to function. She would have her work cut out for her after this was all over.

"I read the notes you had made too," Bailey added. "I don't think my grand mother was connected to Devon. She didn't live anywhere near us and died of a disease. Besides she had black hair."

"Okay," Deanna said. "Your grandmother will be ruled out for the moment."

"Um…" Bailey mumbled. "Maybe I should tell you a little bit about my mother."

The look on her face intrigued the two senior officers at the table. "Go on," Deanna said when Bailey looked at her expectantly.

"The people in the village where we lived used to call her a witch," Bailey said slowly. "Not that we were backwards or living in the dark ages or anything. What it was was because my mother was into magic. She had bookcases full of books on witchcraft and spells. She was a writer as well as a Doctor. She had about eight books published. All fantasy novels, about witches and wizards, ghosts and spirits. I mean it makes you wonder whether she did accidentally conjure up Devon. Or that maybe she was feeling lonely and did it on purpose, thinking that she could control him and get rid of her spirit lover before Dad came home on shore leave?"

Bailey stopped babbling and looked at her companions to see if they thought she had gone mad or something. "Well?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"So you think your mother brought Devon into the world?" Deanna asked, trying to get her head around the matter of fact way that Bailey had given the news.

"Yes!" Bailey snapped. "Isn't that what I just said!"

"I wonder if this maybe pertinent to getting rid of Devon," Jean-Luc said ignoring Bailey's outburst.

"It could be," Deanna replied. "When one of the people on the list of contacts get back to us, we can ask them."

"Hasn't anyone replied?" Bailey asked, disappointment evident in her tone of voice.

"Not yet," Deanna said sadly. "Hopefully they will hurry."

"They had better do," Bailey stated. "Because the longer Beverly is with Devon, the more she becomes attached to him. Every time Devon… copulates with her, her resistance to him diminishes. Eventually she won't want him to leave her. She will also deny all knowledge of his existence and probably won't be happy to see us when we arrive to rescue her."

Jean-Luc sighed. "We should be there at about seventeen hundred hours. I've increased our speed after reading that on the computer myself last night."

"So we know where she is staying?" Bailey asked.

"Yes," Deanna replied. "I contacted Belleza and found the villa and apparently she checked in by opening the front door sometime yesterday. So Beverly is definitely there."

"That's good," Bailey said with a smile. "At least we won't have to hunt around for her. It's a pretty name for a planet. It means Beauty in Castilian."

"You speak Castilian?" Deanna asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Bailey replied. "It's the one good thing that I ever learnt from Elizabeth and Lesley. They were ancestral Spanish."

"That might come in handy," Jean-Luc said pushing the plate of croissants over towards the redhead at the other side of the table.

"Thank you," Bailey said helping herself to one. "Could you pass me the coffee too?"

Jean-Luc poured some of the steaming coffee into a mug and handed it to her. "I seem to recall you telling Beverly and I at breakfast last week, that you didn't like coffee."

"Well I don't dislike it," Bailey replied. "Its just not my thing. But I didn't sleep last night and I need to feel wide awake today, so caffeine it is!"

They spent the rest of the morning in companionable silence, each of them with their own private thoughts. It wasn't until after lunch that they finally got what they were all waiting for.

The computer chirped and made Deanna, who was quietly reading a book in the chair next to it, jump. She immediately opened the message to find a reply to one of the letters she had sent the day before.

"Captain," she called happily. "We've got a response!"

Jean-Luc came out of the cockpit and joined Deanna at the computer. Bailey, who had also heard Deanna's call, came out of her bedroom where she had been snoozing all morning with the door open just in case a message came through.

She waited patiently for Deanna to begin reading the message in her exotic accent.

"His name is Pedro González," Deanna said. "This is what he says. _I am sorry it took so long to reply to your message. I have just this minute got back from Risa. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I would be glad to help with this case. I have worked on such a case. Granted that it was one hundred and seventy one years ago, but I believe I am the best man for the job. None of the other people on the contact list have dealt with a Dvorovoi before. They are extremely rare and I am sorry to say that I am excited by this case. Do not hesitate to contact me at any time and I will give you all the help I can. Yours sincerely Pedro González."_

"Contact him," Jean-Luc ordered.

"Yes sir," Deanna replied.

Bailey watched as Deanna contacted Pedro González and handed over the conversation to the Captain.

"Can you explain to me what you already know about this Dvorovoi?" Pedro asked.

Jean-Luc explained everything that had happened up until now and Pedro listened in attentive silence. Bailey inched round Deanna's side to get a look at the old man on the screen. To be honest Bailey could hardly believe this man was almost two hundred and fifty years old. He certainly didn't look it.

"Is this Bailey?" Pedro asked as Jean-Luc finished. He had caught sight of Bailey peering at him over Jean-Luc's shoulder.

"Yes," Jean-Luc said moving over so that Pedro could see Bailey properly.

"I am so sorry for you," Pedro said. "You are such a young beautiful thing. Nobody should have to go through this. Especially not a child like you."

Bailey was about to protest that she wasn't a child, but Deanna took her hand and squeezed it. "I just hope you can help my cousin," Bailey said to Pedro.

"It should be easy enough," Pedro replied.

"Easy?" Jean-Luc asked in amazement.

"Yes," Pedro replied. "It's simple really. It was never easy in the past, practically impossible in fact. But with today's medical advances, as long as you have a Doctor nearby it's easy."

"We don't," Jean-Luc replied. "At least not exactly. Beverly is the Doctor."

"Ahh!" Pedro exclaimed. "Well let's hope…" he thought for a moment to remember the Dvorovoi's name. "… Devon hasn't completely merged with Beverly. You may need her help with this. Before you attempt anything you must speak with Beverly to determine the situation. If Devon hasn't completed the merging, Beverly will be afraid, on edge if you like. At no point during this meeting, must you let it be known to her that you know of Devon's existence. As soon as Beverly knows that you know about Devon, Devon will also know. We might have a problem with Bailey regarding this. Devon, at the moment is still merged with you my sweet child. You will still have some pulling power over him, but not as much as you used to now that he is in the process of taking on another host. At all costs, unless it becomes totally necessary, we must keep you out of the line of fire. You must stay away from both Devon and Beverly. This is vital to your survival. If Devon discovers that Bailey is present, it will complicate matters later on, but not to worry. The procedure will have to be carried out on you and Beverly simultaneously."

"What procedure?" Jean-Luc asked the burning question, he just wished that Pedro would tell them now.

"I'm coming to that," Pedro replied, annoying the Captain further. "What you will need to do is make Beverly and Bailey die."

"What!" squeaked Bailey from behind Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc held up his hand to silence her. "Please go on Pedro," he said ignoring Bailey's annoyed grunts at his side.

"It's simple enough," Pedro said with a reassuring smile. "I'm not familiar with Human physiology, but I am told that you can make someone die and bring them back to life again with the proper medical treatment. This has been used hundreds of times before, I'm even as sure to say that perhaps Beverly herself has used this procedure before."

"She has," Deanna replied. "On me years ago."

"Did she?" Bailey asked, her eyes wide. She didn't like the thought of this one bit. What if something went wrong and they couldn't bring her back?

"I'll explain later," Deanna replied hastily.

"When the only possible hosts for the Dvorovoi have been extinguished," Pedro went on. "The Dvorovoi will simply cease to exist. He will no longer be here."

Jean-Luc seemed to ponder this over. "We could try and get Beverly's help on this matter," he said thinking out loud. "But of course that might not be possible if Devon has completed the merging. I suggest we contact Dr Selar on the Enterprise and see what she has to say."

"We would need cortical stimulators and portable medical equipment," Bailey said surprising them both. "I'll check out the little sickbay here and see what we have got."

"Make it so," Jean-Luc said nodding at her.

"She's full of surprises isn't she Captain?" Pedro said adding a wink for good measure. "That is a common side effect of being merged with a Dvorovoi," he added after Bailey had had time enough to leave the room. "Any information that Bailey has read or seen, she will be able to memorise with ease. It makes her one of the most intelligent people you are ever likely to come across."

Jean-Luc nodded. "Will this ability finish once Devon has disappeared?"

"To be honest," Pedro replied. "I am not sure. I think I have given you enough information to go on. If you need anything else, I am at your disposal. Thank you Captain. González out."

Jean-Luc turned to Deanna and couldn't help showing just how worried he was in his expression. "I just hope Pedro is justly as confident in this as he appears to be."

"He is," Deanna replied. "Shall I contact Dr Selar?"

"Not just yet," Jean-Luc replied. "We need to assess the situation with Beverly first. Pedro said not to alert Beverly that we know about Devon. So I suggest that I should visit her alone," he said running his hand over his scalp. "I could tell her that I decided to take some shore leave and join her whilst the Enterprise is being repaired after a mysterious incident."

"You could also say you were worried about her sudden departure," Deanna suggested. "I think she will be expecting you to question her about it. Why she just upped and left and disobeyed your orders to come back to the ship."

"Yes," Jean-Luc replied. "She would be suspicious as to why I hadn't asked her otherwise."

Bailey returned to the living area. "It's looking good," she said placing portable resuscitation pack on the table. "We have everything we need," she said sinking down into a chair opposite her companions. "Except a Doctor."

"Dr Selar will be able to guide us," Jean-Luc said. "She could even give us virtual lessons using the sickbay here," he added to Deanna.

"I'm trying not to let your casual discussion of my death bother me," Bailey muttered under her breath.

"Bailey," Deanna said in a soft voice. "There really isn't anything to worry about. A few years ago, I was in a similar position. A man used me to control all his negative emotions. He flooded my brain with them and in one day I aged decades. I was about to die and the man wouldn't let go of his hold on me. So Beverly stopped my heart and I died. The man was forced to let go of me and as soon as the link was broken, Beverly revived me again."

"But Beverly is going to die as well," Bailey moaned softly.

"Don't worry," Jean-Luc said impatiently.

"How can you tell me not to worry?" Bailey demanded, jumping to her feet. "It's not you who has to die!"

"Ensign!" the Captain warned. Bailey quietened a little and Jean-Luc turned back to Deanna. "We have to make a plan of action Counsellor. Decide in which order we are going to do this."

"First of all we have assess Beverly's… status with Devon," Deanna replied.

Bailey listened as they went on and on about the upcoming rescue mission and ignored her completely. She was beginning to boil on the inside, her temper mounting. She had tried unsuccessfully to add her input to the discussion, but Jean-Luc just held up his hand to silence her.

"Why aren't you listening to me!" Bailey demanded in a loud voice, stopping Deanna and Jean-Luc's discussion instantly.

"Ensign," the Captain said in a low even tone. "You are a subordinate officer. When we require your help in this matter, we will ask for it."

"Beverly is my cousin!" Bailey yelled.

"You are being insubordinate Ensign," he warned glancing at Deanna.

"I don't give a damn!" Bailey cried. "To hell with Starfleet!" she rounded the table and stood face to face with Jean-Luc.

"Do not make me relieve you of duty Ensign!" Jean-Luc snapped.

"Let me save you the trouble!" Bailey said as she tore her comm. badge from her uniform top. "I quit!" she yelled, dropping her insignia onto the table.

"Aren't you being a bit rash?" Deanna asked, moving to Bailey's side.

"No I am not!" Bailey snapped at Deanna. "You can't tell me this is a Starfleet mission either!"

"Of course it is!" the Captain snapped. "One of my senior officers has been taken from my ship against her will."

"Don't give me that!" Bailey yelled. "Are you telling me that you would have rushed to the aid of Geordi LaForge?"

"Of course I would," Jean-Luc replied. There was nothing he could do now to discipline Bailey, she wasn't under his control anymore.

"Yeah right!" Bailey snapped. "My arse! You wouldn't have gone personally and you know it! Commander Riker would have gone! And he would have stopped you going this time, but didn't because it is Beverly that we are going after and not someone like Geordi! He didn't even bother to argue! He knew it would have been fruitless and a total waste of time! You are rushing to help Beverly and it's for personal reasons and not professional!"

"Bailey!" Deanna snapped, tugging on her arm. "That's enough!"

"I want _him_ to admit it!" Bailey said as she roughly shoved Deanna away.

To Deanna's surprise she watched as if it were in slow motion as the Enterprise's Captain took off his own insignia and dropped it onto the table. Not once has his eye contact strayed away from Bailey's intense glare.

Deanna watched them for almost a minute before she realised they had both turned their attention on her. Swallowing hard, she followed suit and removed her own insignia and dropped it next to the others on the table.

End of part six 


	7. Chapter 7

**Dvorovoi Part Seven**

**By ****Karen Page**

The small ship was silent while they each contemplated their new situation. They all knew now that nothing about this mission would be logged in the computer and that they didn't have Starfleet's help to back them up should the need arise.

Jean-Luc's gaze had never wavered from Bailey's. He had just found out that Bailey obviously knew something about his relationship with Beverly. He wanted desperately to know how much she knew and what Beverly had told her, but couldn't bring himself to ask.

As he watched her, staring into those amazing violet eyes, he saw her internal struggle with her feelings. He could see she was about to lose it, and watched as a single tear glided down her cheek. Her bottom lip trembled and she bowed her head as she began to sob.

Thinking nothing of it, Jean-Luc pulled the young woman into his arms and held her as she cried. He remembered someone saying to him once '_Better out than in.' _He glanced at Deanna who had sat back down at the table and was watching them. She smiled back at him encouragingly.

"I'm sorry," Bailey mumbled against his chest.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for," Jean-Luc replied in a soft voice. "Deanna and I are sorry for ignoring you earlier."

"You're forgiven," she said pulling away from his embrace and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I know you can't trust me completely. You don't really know me. But even so, I can help. I know Devon. I know what he'll be thinking. True, he kept dark secrets from me, but I still know him."

"We would appreciate all the help you can give us," Jean-Luc said squeezing her arm affectionately.

Bailey smiled. "Well then," she said with determination. "We had better get busy. We've only got three hours now until we arrive."

Jean-Luc quirked an eyebrow at Deanna in amusement and sat down at the table with them to discuss the upcoming mission.

Beverly awoke to the sound of banging. Frowning, she rolled over in bed and slid out and onto the wooden floorboards. Realising she was naked, she quickly pulled on the thin dressing gown that she found on the end of the bed and cautiously ran down the spiral staircase to investigate where the banging was coming from.

She stopped in her tracks in the middle of the living room as she realised exactly where the banging was coming from. The front door. Someone was at the front door, and by the sounds of it, was impatient to get in.

Tightening her dressing gown she wandered up the steps to the front door and opened in a crack. The sight that greeted her, made her gasp.

"Ah! You are in after all," Jean-Luc said with a huge smile. "I thought maybe you had gone out for an early dinner or something."

"Jean-Luc!" Beverly exclaimed, still peering at him through the crack in the doorway.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Oh, sure…" she opened the door and allowed him to step inside, staring at him in bemusement.

Jean-Luc took in her appearance. She looked very well, a little dishevelled but other than that, perfectly normal. His first thought, was perhaps this had been a huge misunderstanding. "I hope you don't mind me dropping by," he said sweetly, looking her up and down while her eyes fixed on the Captain's Yacht moored on the plateau above the back garden, in the vast mountains. It was then he noticed how bright her eyes were. They were totally clear and a stunning shade of blue. Just like Bailey's he thought.

"I was a little worried at your sudden departure," he added when her gaze returned to him. "I suppose after what happened on the ship, you decided to get away before I cancelled all leave!" he laughed at his own joke.

"I'm… sorry about that," Beverly replied, taking his excuse as her own. "I was really looking forward to this break."

"I could tell," he laughed.

"So um…" Beverly mumbled finally shutting the door. "What are you doing here?" she asked looking at him, handsome in his civilian clothing.

"Well, just as you were leaving," he explained, trying to remember what exactly his, Deanna's and Bailey's explanation was. "We experienced a warp core breach. Which was why I was so annoyed at you for suddenly leaving. It set off a chain of smaller explosions all over the ship. Data and Geordi are still working on repairing the damage, so Counsellor Troi decided that it was high time I had some shore leave and packed me on my way. She seemed to think I was getting in the way with my impatience."

Beverly's face broke into a smile. "She sent you here?" she asked.

"Well not exactly," he replied. "She packed me off in the Yacht and told me not to come back for at least a fortnight. So there I was, heading nowhere in particular and decided to come and visit you for a bit. As I said, I hope you don't mind."

Beverly was a little suspicious, but didn't question him and simply nodded, pulling the dressing gown around her slender frame tighter self-consciously. Well aware of what Jean-Luc was probably able to see through the thin flowery gauzy material. "Well… I don't mind," she said silently cursing him. If Devon got the slightest inkling that Jean-Luc knew about him, Jean-Luc would probably turned up strangled to death just like Jamie Peitx.

Beverly was absolutely sure that Jean-Luc did indeed know all about Devon. It didn't take a genius to realise that her entire confrontation with Bailey shortly before the explosions had occurred had been recorded and most definitely reviewed by the senior staff. There was no doubt in her mind that Jean-Luc knew about Devon and had somehow arrived to rescue her.

Beverly tried to remain calm and offered Jean-Luc something to eat and drink. Jean-Luc accepted her offer and she showed him where the replicator was before taking a seat at the breakfast bar opposite him. Usually she would have gone upstairs to change immediately, but the thought of a confrontation with Devon kept her from doing so. So she remained seated in front of his and watched as he ate some French bread and brown onion soup.

"Aren't you going to have some?" he asked, trying not to let his concern show on his face.

"I'm not hungry," she replied, then realising that this must sound very suspicious especially coming from her, she added, "I just ate something a little while ago."

"Ahh," he replied. "I would have let you know I was coming, but I didn't know for sure where you were staying. I had to pull a few strings to find out."

Beverly nodded slowly, her gaze focused on the lounge that was out of Jean-Luc's site. Devon was standing in the middle of the lounge looking very angry in deed. "Are you staying in the yacht?" Beverly asked, turning her attention back to Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc took the hint immediately. He knew it was her way of telling him he wasn't welcome to stay in the house. "I am," he replied. "I won't be here for long. Just a couple of days, then I am heading off to a nearby planet. There is a great archaeologically museum there that I wouldn't mind visiting."

"I am sorry to do this to you Jean-Luc," she said biting her bottom lip gently. "But I have plans tonight and must go and get ready. You want to meet me for breakfast out on the patio tomorrow morning and we can plan the days ahead."

"Okay," he said, smiling uncertainly. He didn't want to leave her this soon, but knowing Beverly wouldn't be getting rid of him unless she had a good reason, he agreed without making a scene. "About what time?" he asked as he polished off his soup.

Beverly arranged the time with him as she practically pushed him out the door. She didn't close the door on him though; she followed him outside and threw her arms around his shoulders. "I'll see you tomorrow then," she said softly, her startling blue eyes boring into his soul.

"Yes," he replied softly. "I'll be here."

Beverly pursed her lips, obviously in deep thought, before she leant forward and left a lingering kiss on his lips. "Bye," she whispered at his shocked face before disappearing inside and closing the door behind her.

He stood still for a moment contemplating what had just happened before signalling the yacht for beam up. He materialised in the main area of the yacht and found Bailey and Deanna impatiently waiting for him. They both had expectant looks on their faces.

Taking a seat at the table, he explained exactly what had happened, and afterwards sat back to hear what they had to say.

"She knows," Deanna said slowly.

"Knows what?" Jean-Luc replied.

"She knows that you know about Devon," Deanna explained.

"She most certainly does," Bailey added, and immediately Deanna's full intense gaze was upon her.

"The inhibiter has worn off!" Deanna snapped.

"So?" Bailey replied with a shrug. "I'm fine aren't I?"

"At the moment you are," Deanna replied angrily.

"Ladies please," Jean-Luc interrupted. "We can deal with that later. We have more pressing matters at hand to deal with," he fixed each of them with an intense look. Although they were no longer acting under Starfleet, it was clear that Jean-Luc was still the unspoken leader of the group.

"What we need to do is get Beverly on her own," Jean-Luc said after he was sure he had their undivided attention.

"That's going to be hard," Deanna replied. "We won't know if Devon is there or not. We can't see him."

"But I can," Bailey reminded them.

"We were advised to keep you out of sight," Jean-Luc replied.

"I know," Bailey snapped. "I was just thinking, that no matter what happens, Beverly and I still need to die anyway. What's the point in me keeping out of the way?"

"There must be a valid reason, or Pedro would never have said it," Deanna replied.

"Exactly," Jean-Luc replied, he took a deep sobering breath before continuing. "What we need is some kind of distraction."

"I could…" Bailey began.

"No Bailey," Jean-Luc replied. "We must keep you safe until we absolutely need to use you. I won't put your life on the line."

"So that means either you or I distract Devon," Deanna said with a frown. "How do we do that?"

"You can't," Bailey said bitterly.

"Bailey," Jean-Luc warned. "Give us a minute to think."

"I'm sorry Captain," Bailey replied. "But even if you made Deanna strip off and run buck naked round the swimming pool, Devon wouldn't bat a eyelid."

"Well I wouldn't do that!" Deanna replied with wide eyes.

"And I wouldn't ask you to," Jean-Luc replied narrowing his eyes at Bailey.

Bailey narrowed her eyes back at him. "Well I would be a distraction. I can go on Emergency beam out or something."

"Then Devon would follow you here," Jean-Luc said flatly.

"Well do you have a better idea?" Bailey asked, one perfect eyebrow rose at him sceptically.

Jean-Luc was stumped. He really didn't have any idea of how to distract a Dvorovoi. "What would you do?" he asked eventually, deciding to give in.

"I don't know," she replied frowning.

"Bailey, I don't like this," Deanna broke in. "Devon is currently in the process of taking on a new host. He won't need you any longer. I think that perhaps after he has fully merged with Beverly, he might feel the need to… get you out of the way. Permanently."

"I know," Bailey replied, surprising them both. "Another reason why I should distract him before he completes his merging with Beverly. Otherwise he might simply kill me and be done with it, then go right after you and Beverly. Then he'll kill you too and Beverly and Devon will be left all alone in their own private world."

"It seems you have the monopoly," Jean-Luc said slowly. "What do you suggest we do?"

Bailey repressed a triumphant smile. "I think, that you should spend the day with Beverly like you planned too. Deanna and I can monitor you from here in the yacht. Devon might just be able to complete his merging tonight. You said Beverly looked tired, so lets pray she isn't feeling up to it. Tomorrow, you have to determine whether she is completely merged with Devon. It will after all make all the difference."

Deanna's face was a picture. She couldn't believe her Captain was putting the fate of her best friend in this young woman's hands. She just hoped that Jean-Luc's faith in Bailey was justified. She put it down the fact that Jean-Luc had known Bailey for a week longer than her.

"And if she is?" Deanna asked, turning her onyx eyes on the redhead beside her.

"Well I suppose we will have to go to plan B," Bailey replied with a shrug.

"Which is?" Jean-Luc asked sceptically.

"Forget about plan A," Bailey replied. "Plan A was to try and get a little bit of medical knowledge and let Beverly know what we are planning to do. Plan B would be to just go ahead and do it. Beverly's reactions in front of Devon would be more realistic that way."

"We aren't going to go in there with our phasers and shoot Beverly dead on the spot!" Deanna exclaimed. "There is a specific way we have to kill her in order for her to be brought back after Devon has gone."

"I know all this," Bailey argued. "We need to inject her with something to stop her heart. Then after Devon has gone, we need to restart her heart pronto!"

Jean-Luc had sat quietly during all of this, listening to his two companions argue. He knew Deanna was a little concerned because he had seemed to let Bailey become their leader, but that wasn't the case. He had decided to let Bailey think she was in control. Bailey was merely stating the obvious to him.

"Tonight and tomorrow," Jean-Luc said turning to Deanna. "I want you, with Bailey's help to find out everything you can about the medical procedures and all the emergency procedures we will need. Get all the equipment ready and the medications. I will see if I can replicate and install some small holographic generators in sickbay, so we can practice the procedure until we get it perfect," he turned to Bailey. "And you Bailey, will go to bed and sleep right now."

Bailey was about to protest, but before the words could come, a yawn left her mouth instead. "Night night," she said meekly and headed off to bed.

"I know your worried about her apparently taking over," Jean-Luc said to Deanna after Bailey was out of earshot. "But she was only saying what I would have said myself, so I let her get on with it."

Deanna nodded slowly. "Right," she said.

"Besides, I think she feels like she needs some control of her situation," Jean-Luc continued. "She is after all the linchpin in this operation. If she suddenly turns her back on us and decides to go on her own, it could have disastrous consequences. We need to let her feel as much as a part of a team as we can. She is a headstrong young lady, not unlike Beverly, but she hasn't got Beverly's discipline and sometimes is a bit rash in her decisions."

"I understand," Deanna nodded and reached for the computer terminal to begin her work.

"I'll be in sickbay if you need me," Jean-Luc said with a reassuring smile before heading away.

Beverly awoke the next morning when the bright sunlight hit her face. Devon was lying against her back, holding her close to him. They hadn't spoken at all and Devon had just left her alone to sit in her bedroom staring at the Captain's Yacht through the window in silence.

When exhaustion finally took her to her bed, Devon had arrived and pulled her to him underneath the covers, gently stroking her soft hair until she fell into a deep slumber.

Devon had to be more careful now that Beverly had company. He couldn't push her into doing something she didn't want. "Morning," he said kissing her temple.

Beverly stretched out on the bed and turned to face him. She felt strangely at home in his arms. She knew it was wrong, but Devon seemed to be growing on her and the thought of spending her life with him by her side didn't repulse her anymore. In fact she quite liked the idea of never having to be alone again.

"Morning," she replied in a syrupy voice.

"What is your Captain doing here?" he asked, coming straight to the point.

"He's on shore leave like me," Beverly replied as she yawned. At his sceptical look, Beverly filled him in on the fictional story that Jean-Luc had fed her the night before. "He'll be staying in the yacht. So there is no need to worry."

"Good," Devon replied, trailing a hand down her spine.

"We haven't got time for that," Beverly replied sliding out of bed. "Jean-Luc is coming to breakfast."

"Damn it Beverly!" Devon snapped. "Exactly how long is he going to be here?"

"Not long," she replied. "Just a few days by the sounds of it," Beverly replied, trying not to make it such a big deal as she fumbled around on the floor looking for her decent dressing gown and not the one that barely covered her femaleness.

Finding it as last, she pulled it around her waist and disappeared down the stairs into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her guest.

With just twenty minutes to spare, she replicated a simple white cotton summer dress and rushed upstairs to wash and change.

Devon was lying on the bed still, watching her as she dashed about getting dolled up for Jean-Luc's visit.

"When we go back to the ship," Devon began. "We still need to get rid of the empath. Any suggestions?" he asked. "I have one, but I don't think you'll like it."

Beverly turned to face him. "I told you, harm one hair on her head and I will tell everyone about you! I don't care if I die as a result!"

"Calm down," Devon said placatory. "You're the CMO, can't you admit her to an insane asylum or something?"

Beverly's eyes widened and she laughed at his absurd comment. "There really is no limit to the depths you will sink is there?"

"Not if it means I get the one thing I desire the most," he replied in sultry voice. "You all to myself."

Beverly was about to come out with an acerbic remark, but the doorbell interrupted her. She shook her head disapprovingly at him before going to answer the door.

"Morning," she greeted Jean-Luc with a huge smile.

"Morning," Jean-Luc replied, pleased at the surprising change of her attitude to him at the door. It was a totally different Beverly to the one that had greeted him the day before.

She even looked fantastically healthy. Her skin was clear and her eyes were wide and as beautiful as ever. She ushered him into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. "I am starving," she happily told him as she loaded trays with food. "I thought we'd eat on the patio."

"Sounds lovely," Jean-Luc replied. He was a little worried now, wondering whether Devon had managed to complete the merging last night. Beverly didn't seem anxious today, she seemed perfectly normal. Bailey had seemed perfectly normal when she was merged with Devon. 'Just give me a sign Beverly,' he prayed silently inside as he followed her out onto the patio, taking one of the trays with him.

They sat down, ate and talked small talk for a while and Jean-Luc was beginning to give up hope.

Back in the shuttle, Bailey was standing on one of the benches and watching Beverly and Jean-Luc eating breakfast closely out of a viewport.

"Come down from there," Deanna said shortly as she heaved more equipment out of the way as she tried to find the portable computer terminal. Jean-Luc had been up half the night going full steam ahead into the task of building the holographic generators for sickbay. It seemed he had taken the entire yacht apart looking for suitable cables and circuits. The whole yacht had been turned upside down whilst Deanna had slept totally unaware.

Jean-Luc had assured her that everything important on the yacht was still up and running before he had beamed over to meet with Beverly for breakfast.

But, to Bailey's disgust, shortly after she had joined Deanna in the living area on the ship, she had found out that the replicators were not working.

"I want one of those," Bailey said distantly.

"One of what?" Deanna mumbled as she shoved another access panel off of the table.

"One of those huge peaches that Beverly is stuffing into her gob," Bailey replied, her stomach growling for effect. "I hope he brings back a doggy bag or his life won't be worth living!"

"Well why don't you try and fix the replicator?" Deanna suggested.

"Me?" Bailey asked, jumping down off the bench and joining Deanna at the table.

"Yes you," Deanna replied impatiently. "You're the only other person here at the moment aren't you?"

Bailey rolled her eyes and went over and examined the open access panel on the side of the replicator. "I am no engineer. I don't even know where to begin. I just know how to fly a ship."

"You must know something about it," Deanna replied, smiling triumphantly as she finally found the computer terminal. "Quantum Mechanics is a require class at the academy."

"Well I only listened enough to pass the class," Bailey replied. "But I'll give it a go. And if I cock it up and make it worse, I'm telling the Captain, you told me to do it."

"Fine," Deanna replied distantly as she settled down to do her part of the mission.

Bailey smiled and began to try and figure out what vital circuit pathway Jean-Luc had broken the night before.

It had been hours now since Jean-Luc had arrived at the villa to meet Beverly for breakfast. Beverly hadn't dropped a single hint to him about Devon. Jean-Luc was beginning to become anxious and worried.

Beverly stopped speaking in the middle of a sentence when she realised he wasn't paying attention to her.

Their eyes met for a moment, and Jean-Luc was rewarded with his first hint that Beverly was still indeed there as herself. He caught the glimmer of fear in her eyes, and tried to portray with his own eyes that help was on its way.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" she asked softly, gesturing to the path that led up the mountain towards another plateau that looked out over the bay.

"That would be lovely," he replied climbing to his feet and holding out his arm to her.

Beverly tucked her arm in his and they slowly walked round the swimming pool and up the winding path.

"It's getting dark already," Jean-Luc pointed out as they walked.

Beverly nodded and glanced up at the yacht. "We've been talking for hours," she replied softly.

Jean-Luc decided that it had to be now or never to bring Bailey down as his distraction. He covertly signalled the ship using his insignia that he had kept in his pocket, and shortly afterwards, Bailey shimmered and appeared in front of them.

Beverly gasped at the sight of her cousin, but didn't have time to question her because Bailey promptly took off at a run and headed back to the house.

Beverly turned and watched as Devon appeared in front of Bailey as she reached the patio. Realising for the first time, she knew Devon wasn't right by her and listening to what she was saying, she panicked and run blindly up the path into the woody tracks leaving the dusty road and Jean-Luc far behind her.

Jean-Luc stayed for a moment to see if Bailey had been successful at distracting Devon. When he turned back, Beverly was nowhere in sight. Looking down the dirt track, he realised that Beverly must have headed off the usual path and into the woods. He took off after her, listening closely for sounds of her departure.

It took Jean-Luc a good ten minutes to catch up with Beverly, who seemed to be running on adrenalin alone. He watched Beverly trip and fall flat on her face.

He knelt at her side, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. The last thing he expected was Beverly's scream of anger and the fist in his face that followed shortly afterwards, knocking him to the ground.

He lay flat on his back on the earthy muddy floor for a moment, trying to get rid of the stars that were floating around inside his head.

"That's some punch you have Beverly," he said in a groggy voice a few moments later.

Beverly lifted her head from the ground. "Jean-Luc?" she whispered, trying not to hope for it to be him in case it was her mind playing tricks on her.

"Yes?" he replied. "Who did you think it was?" he asked giving her one last chance to deny Devon's existence.

Beverly crawled up to him and began examining his bloody nose. "I'm sorry about that," she replied with a sly grin. "I know you know," she added, gazing intently into his hazel eyes.

"I do," he replied, heaving a sigh of utter relief. "Thank god!" he exclaimed pulling him to her in a spontaneous hug.

"Thank god?" she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Listen," he said sitting up and pulling her up with him. "We haven't got much time."

"Why not?" she replied with a frown.

"Because I don't know how long Bailey can distract Devon for," he replied quickly. "I won't go into exact details, but we are going to get you away from him."

Beverly smiled at him as tears began to fall from her eyes. "How?" she asked in wonder. "I've tried everything."

Taking her by the shoulders, he stared into her eyes. "What I need from you is total and utter trust okay?" he asked seriously.

"You always have that," she replied softly.

"Here," he said pulling a computer pad from his pocket. "Will you write down exactly how one would go about killing someone and how to bring them back to life safely. We need every single bit of knowledge you can give us. It is very important."

Beverly obediently started typing as fast as she could onto the pad. It took her a few moments before what Jean-Luc had said finally registered. "What!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear.

"Just type Beverly!" he snapped.

Beverly glared at him and began to type again, knowing now that her life depended on the accuracy of the information she was giving him. She knew that there wasn't much information on this procedure on the computer. One didn't usually go about killing people and bringing them back to life that often.

"I hope you know what you are doing," she hissed at him as she typed.

"We have done extensive research into Devon," he replied. "I will explain everything later. Right now, any moment, Bailey might contact me to say that she has lost Devon's interest. We have to get this information."

"You talk and I'll type," she replied through gritted teeth. "Is it me you plan on doing this too?"

"Yes," he replied, he watched as Beverly's hand paused and she took a deep shuddering breath. "You have to be brave Beverly," he whispered softly. "Deanna and I are going to practice the procedure over and over again until we know for sure it will work. Keep typing."

"What I want to know is," she said as she began to furiously type on the pad again. "Whom are you practicing on?"

"I have managed to rig up a holographic generator in the little sickbay on the yacht. Bailey should have been working on the programming all day," he replied.

"Who else is with you?" Beverly asked, looking him in the eye. "Hopefully you have a Doctor with you."

"Just Deanna, Bailey and myself," Jean-Luc replied quietly.

"Great!" Beverly exclaimed. "Why didn't you bring Dr Selar?"

"Because Beverly," he replied. "As soon as we realised what had happened, we jumped on the ship and took off after you. We had no idea we needed a Doctor otherwise I would have brought one with me."

Beverly finished typing and handed the pad back to him. "Follow everything I have written there precisely. If you do, nothing should go wrong."

"We will," Jean-Luc replied checking over everything she had written down.

"When will you be… carrying out this procedure for real?" Beverly asked, worry clouding her eyes.

"As soon as possible," he replied, squeezing her shoulders to reassure her.

"Where did you find out all this information on Devon?" Beverly asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"On the computer," Jean-Luc replied.

"But I looked and didn't find anything," Beverly said, suddenly pushing herself against him and holding him to her.

Jean-Luc held her close. "You didn't have time to question Bailey," he replied softly.

He felt so good against her, he felt like expensive soap against her skin. His embrace was like a balm to sooth away her worries. "Bitch," she mumbled against his neck.

Jean-Luc didn't have time to tell Beverly that Bailey was as much a victim of Devon's assault as she had been, because Deanna's signal came seconds later.

They both jumped to their feet and began walking back towards the dusty path.

"What a weird little animal that was!" Beverly exclaimed in laughter as they reached the pathway fifteen minutes later.

Jean-Luc realised Devon must be close by. "I'm sorry I dragged you in there to see it," he replied laughing. "I shall have to do some research to find out exactly what it was."

"Next time you go running through the woods, go by yourself!" Beverly exclaimed. "Look at my dress!"

"I think you look very lovely all covered in mud!" Jean-Luc laughed.

"Gee, thanks," Beverly laughed.

"I think its time I went to bed," Jean-Luc said signalling that the evening was over. "Bailey and I are planning to leave tomorrow afternoon for the museum on the next planet. I really don't know why she was so insistent that she came here to meet up with you for a few days. I told her that you wanted some peace and quiet, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I'm irresistible," she laughed.

"But it's strange that she didn't want to join us for the day," Jean-Luc continued the ruse. He had to have some explanation for Bailey's sudden appearance that night.

"It's strange alright," Beverly said in monotone.

"Right," Jean-Luc said turning her to face him. "Goodnight," he said softly, leaning forward to kiss her cheek and Beverly once again surprised him by planting another lingering kiss on his lips.

"Will I see you for breakfast?" she asked as she pulled back.

"How about dinner instead tomorrow evening?" he replied. "I promised her highness that I would take her down to the beach sometime tomorrow."

"Sounds wonderful," she replied wistfully.

"Would you like to join us?" he asked, praying she said no.

As if reading his thoughts, she said "No, that's alright Jean-Luc. I think I'll spend the day in the pool. I hate sand. It gets everywhere."

Beverly hugged her best friend, and watched as he shimmered away back to the yacht, before turning and with a smile on her face she headed back down towards the villa.

"Having fun were we?" Devon asked, appearing at her side.

"Yes," she replied wistfully. "I've had a wonderful day."

Devon grunted, and linked arms with her. "I haven't," he replied. "Bailey is here and she wants me back!"

Beverly pretended to be disgusted and downright angry. "You promised me you would never leave me!"

"I'm not leaving you!" he exclaimed. "I think she thought that if she persuaded the Captain to come and visit you, she would somehow win my affections back. Don't you worry my love; I put her in the picture. She won't be hassling us again."

"What did you do?" Beverly asked in alarm.

"Nothing too drastic," he replied as they reached the house. "Lets just say she won't be bothering us again."

Jean-Luc arrived back on the ship to find mayhem and chaos everywhere. As well as the apparent chaos, there was quite a lot of blood on the transporter platform at the back of the ship. Gasping in alarm, he rushed into the main area of the ship and through into the small sickbay.

"What happened?" he exclaimed.

"Devon slashed Bailey's wrists," Deanna replied, her eyes wide. "She's going to be fine, I've managed to stop the bleeding and repair the wounds as best I can."

Bailey was sitting behind them with a bucket on her lap, her face was deathly white, but other than that she looked fine. "I don't think I mentioned that Devon can make things appear, just like he can make himself appear corporeal," she said softly. "He produced a knife and threatened me to keep away from him and Beverly. So I stayed as long as I could, begging him to come back to me and he must have been really pissed at me to do something like this!"

"You are not going down there again!" Jean-Luc exclaimed and turned away and Bailey proceeded to throw up in the bucket on her lap.

"I don't think she will be going back," Deanna whispered at his side. "There is no need to worry about that. She is very very scared now. There won't be anymore bravado on her part."

"So is Beverly," Jean-Luc replied, producing the pad from his pocket and handing it to the Counsellor.

"I can guess that she showed it through her anger," Deanna replied as she activated the pad.

"Yes," he replied. "She demanded to know why I hadn't thought to bring a Doctor with us. She isn't at all pleased with what we are planning. I didn't get a chance to fill her in on all the details. I suppose that will have to come afterwards."

"I just hope she trusts us enough not to interfere," Deanna replied.

"I am meeting her for dinner tomorrow night," Jean-Luc said. "I think that would be the best time to put the plan in action."

"Captain?" Bailey called from the bio bed.

"Yes?" Jean-Luc replied.

"Will you please fix the replicator," Bailey said sliding off the bed, appearing absolutely normal considering what she had been through. "You might have enjoyed eating breakfast lunch and dinner with Beverly down there at the villa, but Deanna and I have been starving up here."

Jean-Luc frowned at Deanna and followed Bailey into the main area of the ship. "What the hell have you done to it?" he asked as he scanned the open access panel beside the replicator.

"That was what I was going to ask you," Bailey replied cheekily.

Deanna sat herself down at the table and watched the playful banter. They needed this break from the stress of the mission and Deanna rather enjoyed listening to them. She smiled as she sensed that Jean-Luc had become fond of Bailey in a paternal way. Jean-Luc was older and not as set in his ways as he had been when Wesley Crusher had lived on the Enterprise with them. He had loosened up a hell of a lot in the past few years and wasn't as secluded. Deanna could see him taking this young lady under his wing as a surrogate daughter and she wondered if Bailey knew.

Bailey suddenly turned to her, their minds locking instantly. Bailey knew what Deanna was thinking and smiled at her. Deanna smiled back and motioned to Bailey to sit with her at the table so they could both watch the Captain work on fixing them dinner.

"Bailey," Deanna whispered softly.

Bailey leant closer to hear her. "Yes?"

"You know yesterday you made us go off duty because this is a personal mission?" Deanna began.

"I think I know what you are going to say," Bailey whispered back softly.

"Yeah?" Deanna asked. "What was I going to say?"

"You were going to say something along the lines of telling me not to step on the eggshells surrounding Beverly and the Captain's relationship," Bailey whispered back.

"Yes," Deanna grinned. "That's about right."

"I was merely stating the truth," Bailey replied. "Besides I had a very interesting conversation with Beverly about it a couple of nights ago."

"You did?" Deanna's expression was pure envy.

"I did," Bailey grinned. "I will not step on the eggshells."

"Well ladies," Jean-Luc said, stopping Deanna from begging Bailey for the juicy gossip. "What would you like to eat?"

Bailey looked him in the eye, and said, "What have you got?" she asked winking at him.

Deanna suppressed a giggle; Bailey knew how to wind him up just like Beverly. "I'll have the same."

Jean-Luc shook his head and turned to study the menu above the control panel. "Well ladies," he said with his back to them. "You will get what you're given and you have to clear your plates before pudding!"

Deanna and Bailey laughed and both hoped he didn't choose anything as exotic as Klingon food.

Chapter Four

Beverly ran up the stairs as soon as she arrived back at the villa with Devon right behind her. She was extremely worried about Jean-Luc's plan, but he had insisted that she trust him, and if there was one thing that Beverly Crusher knew about her Captain, was that she could trust him with her life.

In her mind, she was going over everything she had written on the data pad, trying to make damn sure that she had listed every possibility. She was almost certain she had, but was still very worried and anxious.

She arrived in her bedroom and sank down heavily on the bed, kicking off her sandals. Devon stood in the doorway watching her, not entirely convinced all of a sudden about Jean-Luc's visit being of pure coincidence. Things just didn't sit right, but he couldn't put his finger on it at the moment. All he knew was that he had better merge with Beverly as soon as possible, before Bailey did something totally out of the question and blabbed about his existence to the Captain or said something derogative about him to Beverly.

"It's still early," Devon said softly, as he moved to sit on the bed beside her. "Are you going to bed already? It's only nineteen hundred hours."

"I'm just thinking," she replied distantly.

"Thinking about what?" Devon asked curiously.

"About how we can get Deanna off the ship," she replied looking at him. "I'll be due back on the ship in a couple of weeks time. I have to think of something before then and put it in to action. Deanna can't be there when we get back, she'll know something is up as soon as she sees me."

"Have you thought of anything?" he asked, taking her by the shoulders from behind and gently kneading her muscles.

Beverly moaned softly and shook her head. "That feels nice," she said slowly.

"You're so tense," he replied, raining kisses on her shoulders and the back of her neck.

"It's hard keeping this secret from Jean-Luc," she replied, leaning her head to one side. "I know it will get easier as time goes by, but I really don't like lying to him."

"You're doing fine," he assured her. Gently he turned her to face him, leaning forward he kissed her tenderly. "How about going to bed early after all," he suggested with a mischievous wink.

"I don't see why not," she replied, already melting inside from his kiss.

Jean-Luc and the rest of his motley gang were up early the next morning, busy preparing for the night ahead. They spent hours in sickbay; using the new holographic generators to practice the exact procedure that Beverly had given them the night before. Every so often, Jean-Luc would walk to a view port, where he would try and spot Beverly at the villa below. It was almost seventeen hundred hours and he still hadn't seen her. She was still inside and he hoped to God that she was fine.

Bailey watched most of the time as Deanna and Jean-Luc took turns to run the procedure with much trepidation. She was comforted a little by the fact that every time Deanna and Jean-Luc ran the program, their holographic patient survived. They were getting better and better and there was now no doubt that they could carry out the delicate procedure without loss of life. Yet still they carried on, both trying to get a little more confident that they wouldn't lose either Bailey or Beverly's lives.

Deanna was going to stay on the ship and perform the little operation on Bailey in the sickbay onboard the yacht and Jean-Luc was going down to the villa that night to do the same to Beverly.

Tension was running high by the time Jean-Luc called them into the main living area for dinner and last minute thoughts and briefs on the upcoming mission. He knew he was supposed to be having dinner with Beverly, but also knew he needed to eat something to try and rid himself of the butterflies in his stomach. If all went to plan anyway, he probably wouldn't get around to having dinner with Beverly that night anyway.

Last minute orders given, his com link open to the ship, Jean-Luc beamed down to the villa and materialised on the front door step. Hoping to God that everything would go to plan, patting the hypospray hidden in his pocket he knocked a couple of times on the front door.

To his surprise, the door swung open with the force of his second knock. Cautiously he stepped inside and called Beverly's name. He didn't get a reply, but heard a moan coming from the living room.

Trying not to panic, he walked hastily inside closing the door behind him. The sight that greeted him would have been a welcome one under different circumstances, but now a feeling of dread filled him.

He watched Beverly slid off the sofa and stand up to meet him. She looked absolutely beautiful, wearing the same see-through flowery dressing gown she had been wearing the night he had arrived at the villa. Her hair flowed down around her shoulders in masses of shiny waves and her eyes positively glowed with enkindled passion. He could clearly see her creamy white long slender legs. He swallowed hard and watched as she smiled seductively at him.

Jean-Luc realised immediately that Beverly had fully merged with Devon and that he was probably in serious trouble. Bailey had mentioned something about Beverly's libido increasing at first when the merging had just taken place. Jean-Luc wasn't prepared for this.

"Am I early?" he asked, knowing it sounded lame even to his own ears.

"You're right on time," she replied, narrowing the gap between them. "As always, my dear Captain."

Jean-Luc swallowed hard again, as she practically brushed her lips against his and felt her breath against his face. "Good," he replied, trying hard as he could, not to fall into the trap she was laying out for him. "What are we having for dinner?"

Beverly smiled, one perfect eyebrow raised in amusement. "Oh I don't know," she said in a sultry voice full of innuendos. "I'm not really that hungry."

"Oh," he mumbled, realising her eyes were focused on his lips. It wasn't long before she closed the gap between them and kissed him, forcing her tongue into his mouth, pushing him to surrender to her. She trailed her hands across his body, down over his bottom, moulding him against her.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she released his lips and began trailing open mouth kisses across his jaw.

"You want this as much as I do Jean-Luc," she replied in a syrupy whispered as she gazed intently into his hazel eyes.

"Beverly," he said, trying to take hold of her wrists. She somehow managed to wriggle free of his grasp and knock him to the floor with one of the moves she had learnt from Mr Worf over the years.

Jean-Luc hit the floor with a thud and groaned as a sharp pain shot up his spine. It dissipated in a few moments, but gave Beverly time to sit astride him. She pushed her hands inside the loose fitting shirt he was wearing, stopping only when she had found the hypospray.

"I can't let you kill Devon," she said, yanking the hypospray out of his reach. "He means everything to me and I won't let you do it."

"Beverly!" Jean-Luc yelled, taking her by surprise, he flipped them over and now lay on top of her. He fought with her for the hypospray and was surprised by her sheer strength as she tried to force him to get off of her. It took all his training to keep her down and wrestle the hypospray from her grasp.

Just as he was about to administer the hypo, he felt himself lift off the ground and fly through the air, landing a few feet away on the floor in front of the patio doors. His back surged with pain from his previous injury and the new one; his face had been inches from smashing into the glass doors. Quickly, trying his best to ignore the pain, he climbed to his feet, thankful that the hypo was still in his clutches and had the safety catch still in place.

No matter what the cost, he had to get to Beverly and inject her somehow. It wasn't going to be easy, when his blurry eyes focused on Beverly once again; she was standing up and rearranging her dressing gown.

"Beverly!" he cried, wincing in pain. "What are you doing!"

Beverly stared back at him, her Doctoring side assessing his pain and determining the injuries he had suffered. "Just go back to the Enterprise and leave me alone."

"No!" Jean-Luc snapped. "I will not leave you here with him! He is a demon spirit, not some fantasy love affair!"

"Leave me alone!" Beverly yelled back.

"He's using you!" Jean-Luc continued, edging closer to her, still in agony. "Like Ronin did. You remember Ronin don't you?"

"Of course I remember Ronin!" Beverly snapped back.

"It's the same kind of thing," Jean-Luc replied as he neared her. Five more feet and he would be able to make a grab for her. "Except this entity is not alive, he is a spirit, a Dvorovoi. He's just using you."

"I make her happy," a male voice sounded suddenly in the room, before Jean-Luc felt a huge shove and he fell forward onto the ground at Beverly's feet. Devon had made a serious mistake; Jean-Luc quickly used it to his advantage. He grabbed Beverly's ankles and yanked them towards him. Beverly immediately fell backwards and landed ungracefully on the floor.

Before Jean-Luc had a chance to get the hypospray into her, he felt hands grab him from behind and found himself smashing through the patio windows and onto the balcony. He blacked out for a while, but soon cooling summer rain droplets fell onto his closed eyelashes, bringing him slowly back.

"Beverly!" he yelled, brushing the large shards of glass off. He winced in pain as he climbed to his feet. Smaller shards of glass trickled off him as he made his way back inside. Blinking in the light, it took him a while to realise that Beverly was no longer there.

Suddenly Deanna came running in followed shortly by Bailey. "They've gone!" Deanna cried. "We saw Beverly running down the pathway."

"Lets go!" Bailey yelled urgently, grabbing Deanna's arm.

"Are you alright?" Deanna asked Jean-Luc as they all ran out the front door and headed after Beverly.

"I'll worry about my injuries later," Jean-Luc replied, charging on ahead on his longer legs.

Bailey was second and Deanna held up the rear, she was carrying a medikit with all the equipment needed for their plan.

Suddenly Deanna noticed Jean-Luc come to a stop; she and Bailey reached his side seconds later and realised why he stopped.

Beverly stood on the edge of a cliff, the stars and the black night sky as her backdrop, her scanty dressing gown blowing out around her. She looked like a goddess of fire, so beautiful with the moonlight shining on her face. She made no secret of the fact that she could clearly see the trio standing on the end of the path watching her.

"Devon is standing right next to her," Bailey whispered, her chest heaving after their brisk run.

"It would be a lot easier if we could see him too," Deanna whispered back.

"Beverly is deathly afraid of heights," Jean-Luc added, "Is she scared?"

"Not really," Deanna replied softly. "She's fully merged with him isn't she?"

"I believe so," Jean-Luc replied, thinking back to the villa.

"Why are they just standing there!" Bailey exclaimed. "Why don't they do something?"

"I think they are waiting for us to make the first move," Deanna replied.

"What is our first move?" Bailey inquired glancing at the captain.

They hadn't planned for anything like this. Their plan had seemed so simple up until now. They had just had to inject Beverly with the drug, and then do the same to Bailey seconds later and it would have all been over after they had brought them back to the land of the living.

"I'm beginning to wish we hadn't told Beverly what we were planning," Jean-Luc mumbled. "Now that she is fully merged with the Dvorovoi, he must know what we had planned to do."

"It also means I'm disposable," Bailey mumbled back with a sigh.

Deanna squeezed Bailey's hand. "We'll do everything we can to make sure you aren't disposed of."

"Maybe you should go back to the Yacht," Jean-Luc said, never taking his eyes away from Beverly.

"No!" Bailey snapped. "I'm seeing this through. Besides, he'd just find me there anyway and I'm the only one that can see him apart from Beverly."

"What are we going to do?" Deanna asked at Jean-Luc's side.

"I don't think we have time to talk about it," Bailey said before the Captain could answer. "He's on his way over."

Subconsciously Bailey moved behind Jean-Luc. She realised only then that she couldn't see Devon anymore and just as she was about to move, Devon's hands rammed through Jean-Luc's body and grabbed her.

Jean-Luc didn't notice anything until he heard Bailey and Deanna scream and whirled around in time to see Bailey lift off the ground as if by magic. Devon hurled her through the air and she crashed down a few meters away from Beverly.

Deanna stared at her still form, willing her to move. Deanna knew Bailey was still alive, but probably unconscious.

Beverly stared at Bailey, frowning, but other than that no emotion played on her face.

Before Deanna knew what was happening, Jean-Luc charged forward and headed straight for Beverly. Deanna stopped breathing and squeezed the hypospray she held in her hand for reassurance. If Jean-Luc managed to get to past Devon and to Beverly, she needed to get to Bailey and inject her too.

Jean-Luc got as far as Beverly's side, before he saw Beverly suddenly stumbled backwards, closer to the cliffs edge. Beverly's scream pierced the stillness and Jean-Luc stared in amazement as her bare feet lifted from the ground and she hovered as if by magic over the cliffs edge.

End of part seven 


	8. Chapter 8

**Dvorovoi Part Eight**

**By ****Karen Page**

Tears of pure fright fell down her cheeks. "Devon please…" she begged in choked sobs.

"Tell him to leave us!" Devon yelled at her. "I won't share your affections!"

"Go away Jean-Luc!" Beverly cried helplessly.

"I will not leave you!" Jean-Luc cried back.

"Please!" Beverly begged.

Deanna inched closer and closer to Bailey, assuming from Beverly's predicament, that Devon was facing the other way and looking out over the sea. She didn't know whether administering the drug Beverly had prescribed would be dangerous in Bailey's current state, but knew she didn't have time to check and prayed for the best.

"Tell him!" Devon yelled, shaking her. He held Beverly under the arms, directly over the edge of the cliff, using his inhuman strength. Only Devon knew that Beverly was in no danger of falling, Devon had so many powers now that he was merged with a host that was the perfect age.

"Please Jean-Luc!" Beverly yelled, she was having trouble breathing. "Go away! I'll be fine!"

Jean-Luc stood rooted to the spot, heart pounding noisily in his chest. "I can't leave you," he replied in almost a whisper.

"You can't kill Beverly!" Deanna suddenly yelled from behind them.

"Why not!" Devon yelled.

Deanna jumped; she could hear Devon in her head. It took her a moment to finally realise what was happening. She realised that this was the very reason that he had wanted Beverly off the ship and had been suppressing Bailey's empathy, because she would have been able to hear him speaking.

"Because if you kill her, you will have no where to go!" Deanna replied, as she injected Bailey's neck with the drug. "Bailey is dead."

Jean-Luc realised where Deanna was heading, now he just needed to get close enough to Beverly to inject her.

Suddenly Beverly moved was thrown over Devon's shoulder and he backed away from the cliffs edge.

Beverly's movement made certain that both Jean-Luc and Deanna knew where Devon was now, he was heading in Jean-Luc's direction.

Jean-Luc backed away slowly at first and then more quickly as he realised that Devon was coming faster.

Deanna got to her feet as she watched the scene unfolding; Beverly was suddenly dropped on the floor and Deanna couldn't figure out what was happening.

She noticed Jean-Luc stop moving for a moment, and then he moved again directly towards Beverly, who was slowly sitting up.

Deanna felt relief wash over her and Jean-Luc pulled Beverly to her feet, it didn't last long though. Jean-Luc took Beverly's hand and headed over to the edge of the cliff again.

Beverly struggled helplessly to try and release his grasp on her wrist, but it was a futile effort. "Jean-Luc!" she cried, biting into the flesh of his forearms with her fingernails.

"What are you doing?" Deanna cried as Jean-Luc shoved Beverly over near the edge of the cliff again.

"I am going to jump," Jean-Luc replied, yanking Beverly closer to him and putting his arm around her. "I am going to kill your captain."

"No!" Beverly screamed.

Deanna shook her head helplessly. Now Jean-Luc's body had been taken over by Devon. "The captain would be willing to give his life in order for Beverly to live. I would be willing to give my life too."

"Tell them to go Beverly," Devon said, looking at Beverly's through the guise of Jean-Luc. "We can be together forever. Just us here."

Beverly shook her head helplessly, tears streamed down her cheeks. "I…"

"I will let him go if you agree to stay with me here," Devon continued. "Otherwise I'll use his body and jump right over the cliff and it would be all your fault."

Beverly was torn; she stared at Deanna trying to make some sense of what was happening. Deanna was slowly coming towards them.

"I'm waiting for your answer!" he yelled. "Do you really want to go back there? To be alone every single night? No body there to love you, to hold you at night, to make love to you?"

"I would die for Jean-Luc," Beverly whispered in a broken voice. "Why don't you kill me instead?"

"Because I need you!" Devon yelled, his gazed turned to Bailey's dead body. "Your stupid Betazoid friend just killed my other option!"

"She can be brought back," Beverly replied. "I can bring her back."

"Beverly no!" Deanna yelled, running anxious hands through her hair.

Neither Beverly nor Devon noticed Jean-Luc's hand moving at Beverly's side, but Deanna did. She also noticed the hypospray held in the hand and realised for the first time that Jean-Luc was there fighting with Devon for control of his body. She could sense the internal struggle and was amazed that Devon appeared to be totally oblivious to it.

"You would sacrifice your cousin?" Devon asked.

"She wants you back!" Beverly yelled.

Devon didn't get a chance to reply, he suddenly realised that Jean-Luc was about to administer the hypospray. But he was a couple of seconds too late, the hypo hissed as it released its contents into Beverly's arm.

Immediately Beverly died and Jean-Luc collapsed to the floor holding Beverly in his arms. Jean-Luc lay there, staring at her for a few moments in morbid fascination.

It took him a few moments to get over the initial shock of what he had just done. For a few moments, all was quiet and still. It was an eerie feeling looking down at the beautiful woman who lay dead in his arms.

"He's gone," Deanna said happily, breaking his trance state. "Well done sir! You did it!" Deanna laughed. "I thought for a moment there we had lost it."

"I need to get my patient back to the yacht immediately," she continued, noting his shocked silence. "Are you alright Captain?"

Jean-Luc looked at Beverly again and then back at Deanna's smiling face. "I will be as soon as Beverly is breathing again."

"I'll beam back to the yacht," Deanna said, checking Bailey's vital signs with a tricorder. "I have about ten minutes left to bring her back. I'll beam you up as soon as I get there."

"Okay," he replied simply. He watched Deanna prep Bailey for transport and then waited patiently to follow.

His gaze fell on Beverly's face, her eyes now shut and her body slowly turning cold.

Spontaneously he leant forward and brushed his lips against hers. "Beverly," he whispered, kissing her again. "I love you very much."

He felt the transporter beam take him and Beverly's lifeless body up to the yacht. Deanna met him with a tricorder running in her hand and led the shocked Captain down the hall into sickbay where Bailey was now laying dead on the farthest bed.

Deanna helped Jean-Luc lay Beverly's body down on the closest bio bed before rushing over to the huge monitor on the wall and connecting Beverly's bio signs to the computer next to Bailey's.

"We have another fifteen minutes at the most before we have to bring Beverly back," Deanna said softly as she watched Jean-Luc's gazing down at Beverly's beautiful face. "Don't worry, she'll be fine."

"How are they doing?" Jean-Luc asked, trying to turn to the monitor, but had to stop because the injury he had received to his back suddenly seized up.

Deanna felt his pain immediately. "Looks like you had a rough time too," Deanna replied as she ran a tricorder scan over his back. "Both Beverly and Bailey are doing fine. Considering they are dead. According to all the data, we have to leave them dead for another three minutes at least. That way Devon's presence should be gone.

Deanna closed the tricorder. "Well you have classic backache, and lots of cuts and bruises," she replied with a sigh. "But I only know how to bring people back from the dead, so I don't know what to do to help you other than give you painkillers."

"Well we should start to prepare then," Jean-Luc said as Deanna searched around for a hypospray painkiller.

"Agreed," Jean-Luc said. "They are over there," he added pointing to a rack of hypospray's nearby.

"Thanks," Deanna said with a sheepish grin. "There, all better?" she asked after injecting him.

"Much better thank you," he replied, stretching out his back. "Lets get to it then."

They managed to bring both Bailey and Beverly back with no complications. Jean-Luc stayed by Beverly's bedside until she awoke a couple of hours later.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

Beverly blinked a few times. "Okay," she replied simply.

"Everything is going to be fine now," he said softly. "We are heading back to the Enterprise shortly. Is there anything you want me to collect from the villa?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I didn't bring anything with me."

"We are going to tow the shuttlecraft," he continued, glancing over at Bailey who was still sleeping in the bed next door, she had suffered more at the hands of Devon and now had a few broken bones slowly setting in regeneration casts while she slept.

"Can I go to my room?" Beverly asked, trying to sit up.

"Just sleep," he replied, laying a hand on her shoulder and trying to make her lie back down.

"I will," she replied stubbornly. "In my room."

"Beverly you have just gone through a traumatic ordeal and I don't think you shouldn't be leaving Sickbay just yet," he replied softly, but sternly.

"It will be no different me lying asleep in my room, than me lying asleep here," she replied, her temper mounting. "I'm the only Doctor on this ship, and I will be the judge of what is safe and what isn't."

Jean-Luc gave up arguing; he could see there was no point. He tried to help Beverly sit up but she pushed him away.

"I'm perfectly capable of getting out of bed on my own," she snapped.

"You haven't got any clothes on," Jean-Luc pointed out to her, just as she realised that fact for herself as she sheet slipped down.

Luckily for her, she had turned her back to him. Yanking the sheets off the bed and wrapping them around her, she stalked out of Sickbay with Jean-Luc hot on her heals.

Deanna was sitting at the table in the main area when Beverly walked in and headed straight for the replicator.

"How are you feeling?" Deanna asked, glancing at Jean-Luc for a second.

Beverly didn't answer, so Jean-Luc spoke. "I think she's going to be fine," he said slowly. "But she came round with a bad case of the grumps."

Beverly glared at him as she replicated the standard Starfleet sleepwear. "I am fine Deanna," she snapped.

"That's good," Deanna replied brightly, trying to lighten the situation. She didn't know why Beverly was behaving as if they had done something horrible to her rather than save her from a demon spirit. "Bailey's still unconscious," she added.

Beverly glanced once at Deanna before stalking out of the main area to her room on the Yacht.

"Well," Jean-Luc said sitting down somewhat awkwardly at the table opposite Deanna. "She could have at least said thank you."

"Something isn't quite right," Deanna replied in a worried tone of voice.

"How so?" Jean-Luc asked, feeling his chest tighten.

"It maybe just a side affect of Devon leaving her body," she replied. "Her ungratefulness I mean."

"Or maybe it's because she's tired after her ordeal this week," Jean-Luc added hopefully. "We shall soon see when she wakes up. Right," he said climbing to his feet. "Beverly doesn't need anything picking up from the villa so I say we re-join Starfleet and head back to the Enterprise."

Deanna picked up the communicators from the table where they had left them earlier and handed Jean-Luc his. "Here you go Captain," she said signifying the change.

"Thank you Counsellor," he replied. "I'll go and bring the shuttle up here to the plateau and then we can leave."

"Yes sir," Deanna replied dutifully.

"If our grumpy Doctor wakes up in the near future," he added as he walked towards the transporter pad at the rear of the yacht. "Can you inform her that Bailey and I need some medical attention if she is up to the job," he said with a small smile as he rubbed his sore back.

"Will do," Deanna replied.

"Check on Bailey," he ordered. "I'll be back soon."

"Yes sir," the Counsellor replied.

Neither the Captain nor the Counsellor saw anything from Beverly on their two-day trip home. She hadn't even left her room once during the whole trip. Jean-Luc routinely monitored her life signs, but had decided to leave her alone. If she had wanted company, she knew where she could have found it.

Bailey had been seen coming in and out of her room getting food from the replicator. But other than a brief conversation about their estimated time of arrival back at the Enterprise, she had kept herself to herself too.

Deanna and Jean-Luc successfully docked the yacht in her place in the belly of the Enterprise and then glanced at each other, each wondering who was going to be brave enough to tell Beverly and Bailey they had arrived home.

"I'll be on the Bridge if you need me," Jean-Luc said, signalling that he had left telling the cousins they were home to Deanna.

"Yes sir," Deanna replied and headed down the corridor. Both of the far bedroom doors opened seconds later and Bailey and Beverly headed out of their rooms in silence.

Deanna stepped aside to let them pass. She noticed Bailey glancing furtively at Beverly and realised then why Bailey had stayed in her room. She could sense Beverly's anger towards Bailey immediately and realised that Beverly still didn't know the whole story. Someone needed to fill her in.

"Beverly?" Deanna asked, catching up with her long legged friend.

Beverly stopped and they waited until Bailey had left earshot before Deanna spoke again.

"I need to explain what happened back there," Deanna said looking up into her friends blue eyes.

"I just want to be alone for a while Deanna," Beverly replied softly.

Her gentle tone took Deanna by surprise. She had expected Beverly to be snappy and irritable like her empathic senses were telling her. "When you want to talk, you know where I am. It doesn't matter what time, day or night."

"I know," Beverly smiled softly. "I'll see you soon," she added before heading off to her quarters.

Deanna followed after collecting hers and the Captain's luggage. She knew she had her work cut out for her and decided she should start right away and speak to Bailey.

It took Deanna ages to find Bailey, partly because she still had Bailey's communicator held in the palm of her hand. Deanna searched most of the ship and asked every crewmember she past if they had seen Bailey. Just as she was about to give up, she got some great news from Ensign Peters. He had just seen Bailey heading into the small meeting room on deck thirty.

Deanna rushed to the meeting room, afraid that she might miss Bailey. Luckily Bailey was still there, sitting quietly at the large conference table surrounded by computer pads.

"Hey Bailey," Deanna said softly.

Bailey jumped, "Hey," she replied with a small smile.

"What are you doing?" Deanna asked, moving round the table to sit next to her.

"Looking into my options," Bailey replied motioning to the pads. "Considering I'll probably be sent off the ship now that I resigned my commission."

"You can't leave the ship unless you find another adult willing to take on your guardianship or you go back to university," Deanna pointed out.

"That's why I'm looking through the universities," Bailey replied. "I'm not upset at having to leave. I haven't been here long enough to make any friends or get settled in."

Deanna studied Bailey for a few moments, contemplating what she had said without words. "You don't want to go," Deanna stated.

Bailey looked down. "I…" her voice trailed off.

"You don't want to be alone," Deanna continued. "For the first time in your life, you are truly alone."

Bailey's bottom lip trembled. "I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled.

"It won't go away if you ignore it Bailey," she replied.

"It's stupid that they raised the age of legally running your own life to twenty!" Bailey snapped. "I was perfectly capable when I was sixteen. This is all stupid! Beverly won't even speak to me! I tried when she came off the yacht. She just glared at me! I tried to tell her that I was as much a victim as she was, but she wouldn't even let me speak to her!" She squeezed her eyes shut tight and rested her head in her hands. "I am so damn frustrated!"

"I can tell," Deanna replied.

"No but it isn't just that!" Bailey snapped, rising from her chair. "I wanna go and punch someone! I want to smash something to smithereens. I want to break something!"

"I don't usually prescribe going to the holodeck to smash something," Deanna replied softly. "But perhaps that might help you a little."

"I'm on my way," Bailey replied, leaving Deanna sitting alone at the table wondering what to do next. She recognised Bailey's problem as not just frustration, but sexual frustration. How was she going to inform Bailey that she needed a man?

Jean-Luc had decided to let Beverly Crusher come out of hiding in her own time. Deanna had tried to speak to Beverly, but had informed him that she was very reluctant to talk about anything that had happened over the past week. She repeatedly told Deanna in no uncertain terms that she was fine and told her she wanted to be alone.

Bailey had been a little quicker at resuming normal life. She seemed to take everything that had happened to her in her stride. Jean-Luc had learned also that Bailey had written a long letter to Beverly about what had actually happened and where they expected Devon to have come from. But so far, Beverly hadn't opened the letter and read it.

Jean-Luc had just finished his third day back on duty after their escapade and was heading home for the evening when he decided that enough was enough and that he would go to see the stubborn redhead and try and get her to open up to him.

He went to his quarters to change and stopped in the doorway, his mouth hanging open slightly in surprise. Beverly herself was standing inside his quarters in the dim half-light, staring out the window to the stars beyond.

"Beverly?" he said softly, not wanting to startle her because she appeared to be lost in thought.

She didn't respond, so he moved closer and stood right behind her. He leaned around slightly and saw that she had her eyes closed to the view. Her cheeks glistened in the light and his heart went out to her.

Beverly seemed to sense his closeness because she leaned back against his chest and sighed softly when he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him.

"I hate this," she mumbled, bringing her hands up to clasp his. "I don't like feeling so… so…"

"Lost?" Jean-Luc filled in.

Beverly nodded and turned around in his arms. "How do you know?" she asked in wonder.

"The Borg," he replied softly, amazed that she was letting him hold her so closely. "I felt the same way when you rescued me."

Beverly nodded, biting on her bottom lip. "It's like I miss Devon," she whispered. "I know he was using me, but I feel like a part of me is missing now."

"I understand," he replied, smiling ruefully at her.

Beverly closed her eyes and fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks. She hated showing her weaknesses in front of anyone, but she knew she could trust Jean-Luc implicitly. She wanted desperately to tell him how lonely she was, to tell him how vulnerable she really was, to let him know that was how Devon had managed to get her to surrender to him so easily. Telling her sweet fantasies of how she would never be alone again.

She knew that all Jean-Luc saw was a strong independent woman, headstrong and very stubborn when she wanted to be. He had never seen the other side of her, the soft romantic dreamer. She wanted so much to show him, but just couldn't find the courage or rid herself of her fears of losing him.

She needed him to give her a push in the right direction. She wanted him to ask her to love him.

Beverly didn't feel at all comfortable in his presence with these forbidden thoughts rampaging through her mind. She shifted and pulled out of his embrace.

"Thank you for understanding," she said softly. "I'm sorry I was a royal pain in the arse back on the yacht too. I don't know what came over me."

"Reality," he supplied for her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking.

Beverly looked stung at his comment. "Well I'm going back on duty tomorrow morning," she said a few moments later, after her initial shock had dissipated.

"Are you sure you are up to it?" he asked like a mother hen.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

"You need to write a report on your sudden absence," he continued. "Starfleet may want some questions answered. The whole rescue mission has been taken off the record. As far as Starfleet are concerned, Bailey, Deanna, and I decided that whilst the ship was being repaired that we would use up some of our shore leave and take the yacht out for an airing."

"How did you explain the sudden need for a warp core?" Beverly asked perplexed that Jean-Luc should feel it necessary to help her embarrassment and cover up the true nature of their mission.

"Well," Jean-Luc said with a grin. "Data and Geordi as far as I know wrote the reports before we even found out about Devon. They theorised and summarised that the explosions were unexplainable."

"What about Jamie Peitx?" Beverly asked.

"In this case, we have explained the whole Dvorovoi thing to Starfleet," he said. "Without mentioning you at all. We even commented that the explosions might have something to do with Devon."

"So you have covered everything then?" Beverly asked.

"So far nothing else has come up," he replied. "We left the ship before the news could start to spread. Will only knows what we have told him."

"Thank you," she replied softly. "We don't want Starfleet to think that I fall head over heals in love with the nearest strange entity and lose my mind and leave the ship!"

Jean-Luc could tell that she was trying to lighten up the situation. "Did you love him?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Beverly was caught off guard at his question and quickly looked away. "Maybe for a while," she replied softly. "But it wasn't real."

Jean-Luc nodded slowly in understanding. "The last day?" he asked.

Beverly blushed at the memory of the last day. The way she had suddenly found the courage to try and seduce him came as much of a shock to her as it had to him. "Yes," she replied. "When he was totally merged with me."

She glanced at him for a second and could see that he had many unasked questions. "He came to my quarters," she said in monotone. "The first time he… started to merge with me. I fought as hard as I could, but couldn't stop him." Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she spoke the painful truth to him.

"He threatened that he would kill us if I spoke one word of it to anyone," she continued. "I couldn't stop him because if I tried to touch him, my hands would go right through him as if he wasn't there. He was totally invisible the first time."

"That's why you began to stay in my quarters," he said, finally understanding a little.

Suddenly the whole story poured forth from within her. She told him everything that had happened. She told him of her fears and the reason she knew she had to leave the ship, to save them all from death.

She stood the whole time, sometimes pacing from one end of the living area to the other, sometimes standing still and imploring him with her amazing blue eyes to understand her. She actually told him how alone and empty she felt. Her own eyes had widened at her unexpected confession and she immediately looked for a way to leave Jean-Luc's company.

As fast as her confessions came, they suddenly stopped. Beverly told him she had to go home to catch up on the happenings in Sickbay for the past week or so and promised him she would join him for dinner the day after.

Jean-Luc was left alone in his quarters, only the subtle sent of her perfume left. All he was sure of now, was that he had to have her. Nothing was going to sway him from asking her to stay with him tomorrow night after dinner.

The next day, Bailey was dragged reluctantly down to sickbay by Deanna to visit her Doctor. Bailey had been assigned to Dr Selar, and felt somewhat relieved to find that piece of information out. As far as she knew, after checking the computer once more before Deanna had collected her for her appointment, she still had no receipt for the letter she had sent to Beverly. Which only meant that Beverly hadn't read it yet and also that Beverly would still be blaming her for everything. Being under Dr Selar, Bailey was confident that she wouldn't be accidentally on purposely poisoned.

Deanna was as surprised as Bailey, when they arrived at Sickbay to find Beverly Crusher on duty and treating patients as normal.

Deanna sensed Bailey's trepidation at the sight of her cousin and reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry," she whispered. "I'm sure that once Beverly finds out what actually happened, she realise her error of judgement."

"Well I wish she'd just read the damn letter!" Bailey snapped, noticing Dr Selar motioning them to join her in the room next door. "It took me three whole hours to write it!"

"I'm sure she will read it as soon as she feels up to it," Deanna assured her newest friend.

"As soon as she feels like it more like," Bailey grumbled as she laid down on the bio bed for her scans.

Beverly appeared a few minutes later to watch over the procedure that Dr Selar was performing on Bailey.

Bailey was frustrated that Deanna had insisted that she continue to use the inhibiter after arriving back from Belleza. She couldn't sense what Beverly was feeling and it felt as if she were just a drawing and not an open book to her anymore.

Deanna went over to Beverly and leaned against the wall beside her. "How are you today?" she asked.

"Fine," Beverly replied, pushing a few buttons on the control panel in front of her.

"You need to talk about what happened with someone," Deanna persisted.

"I already have," Beverly replied softly.

"You did?" Deanna asked in amazement. "Who too? If you don't mind me asking."

"Jean-Luc," Beverly replied, stopping her work and staring at her friend. "I think I gave away too much."

"What do you mean?" the Counsellor asked, a small frown knitting her eyebrows together.

"I'll tell you later," Beverly replied, deciding that she didn't want to discuss it any further. "Maybe," she added as an after thought.

"Maybe," Deanna moaned. "You are such a tease Beverly!"

"I know," Beverly grinned at her friend.

"Well," Deanna said glancing at Bailey who was now out cold. "I think you should read Bailey's letter before she has a heart attack from worrying too much."

"What letter?" Beverly asked, genuinely perplexed.

"She sent you a letter two days ago," Deanna explained. "One that will explain everything to you that went on."

"Oh," Beverly replied frowning. "I haven't really bothered checking my messages. I'll go read it now," she said leaving the room.

Deanna turned her attention back to Dr Selar and watched as she scanned Bailey to determine the exact nature of her empathic ability.

A few minutes later, Beverly reappeared at Deanna's side. "I didn't get a letter in my mail box from Bailey," she stated. "There were loads of other messages, but not one from Bailey."

"I'll tell her when this is all over," Deanna replied, then turned and caught Beverly's arm. "You have to stop blaming her for all that has happened."

Beverly looked away quickly. "Why should I?"

"Because she isn't to blame," Deanna replied simply. "She made me promise not to say anything because she wanted to tell you in her own words how all this happened. Just don't be too hard on her. If you can't be civil, I suggest you avoid her."

"I fully intend to do so," Beverly snapped, glaring at Deanna. "I'll be in my office."

Deanna shook her head in amazement. Beverly and Bailey certainly seemed to know how to complicate simple matters. If they would just meet and talk this through, Beverly would understand that Bailey was treated far more badly than she had ever been by Devon. Beverly's week or so under Devon's rein would have been considered a breeze to Bailey. And yet Bailey seemed to be taking it better than Beverly was.

The little procedure went well, and fifteen minutes later Deanna and Bailey left sickbay and headed towards ten forward for some lunch whilst they waited for the test results.

"It must be a good sign," Bailey said happily as she slid into the booth opposite Deanna after ordering their food and drink.

"What is?" Deanna replied reaching over for her cup of steaming hot root tea.

"That Dr Selar removed the inhibiter from my system," Bailey explained. "I can't be too badly in danger can I? Or she wouldn't have done that."

"I suppose not," Deanna replied as she blew on her tea.

"So Beverly never received the damn letter then?" Bailey asked, as she gazed lovingly at her big glass of banana milkshake.

"No," Deanna shook her head. "Must have been a glitch somewhere?"

"That letter took me three whole hours to write!" Bailey complained. "I don't think I bothered to save it either. I'll have to write it all down again!"

"Why don't you just speak to her?" Deanna suggested. "It would be easier."

Bailey sighed, "Right now, considering the negative thoughts I'm receiving from Beverly, I'm surprised that she even came into the examination room whilst I was there."

"Maybe she'll talk to you now?" Deanna continued. "I did tell her not to blame you and to read the letter. Just tell her that the letter must have been lost in a computer glitch and tell her what you wrote?"

Bailey frowned and stared into the frothy yellow milkshake. "I'll do my best to recover the letter first. If I can't, then I'll try and speak to her."

"This is silly," Deanna said exasperated. "Why are you so scared of speaking to her? She is your only living family and I don't think either of you are enjoying this. If you both weren't so damn stubborn, life would be so much easier."

"To be honest," Bailey admitted. "I'm worried about the famous Howard temper making a guest appearance at our talk. If she loses her temper, I'll lose mine and we don't want another murder on the ship!" she smiled wryly. "I once saw my mother and my Nan arguing. It wasn't a pretty sight I can tell you!"

Deanna laughed. "I see why you wanted to give her a letter now! It will make sure you actually get a word in!"

Bailey giggled and shortly afterwards her laughter faded to a sigh and she gazed out of the window at the stars obviously deep in thought.

It was times like this, when she let down her guard that Bailey showed how deeply traumatised she was after finding out the truth behind Devon's presence in her life.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Deanna offered as she gently took Bailey's hand.

Bailey shook her head. "Not really," she replied.

Deanna sighed, at least Bailey didn't say she was fine all the time like Beverly did. "Are you still planning to leave the ship?"

"Probably," Bailey replied evasively.

"Well just promise me you will sort out this little misunderstanding with Beverly before you leave," Deanna insisted. "You are perfect for each other."

"Beverly reminds me of my mother," Bailey said distantly, her gaze still focused on the stars outside the ship.

"Well I'm absolutely sure that Beverly adores you like a mother," Deanna replied with a smile.

Bailey returned Deanna's smile. "She did," she said grinning. "At least until she found out I knew about Devon. We had a lovely chat. I really felt like I was getting to know her at last. She made me feel so comfortable, like I could tell her anything and she wouldn't judge me. She felt the same way about me too."

Deanna could see hope shining deep within Bailey's violet eyes. "Is this the talk you told me about on the yacht?"

"Yes," Bailey nodded. "She took me back to my quarters to lecture me about my teasing. I think Beverly is used to dealing out all the teasing and doesn't like to receive it!" Bailey laughed.

Deanna nodded and laughed. "That is so right!"

"I was teasing her about the Captain," Bailey continued, grinning at the memory. "I told her that I thought she was conducting an illicit affair with him behind everyone's backs. I said that she sneaked down the corridor to make love to him every night!"

Deanna couldn't help herself and laughed. "What did she say?" Deanna asked, leaning forward, a grin plastered on her face.

"I couldn't divulge information like that!" Bailey squealed in mock horror.

"Well," Deanna drawled out. "If something did happen and I know it hasn't, Beverly would have to tell me!"

"Why would she?" Bailey asked, sucking on her straw.

"Because I'd kill her if she didn't!" Deanna laughed. "Us Betazoids, especially me can't handle being able to sense something and not knowing all the details."

"Tell me about it," Bailey laughed. "I've only been empathic for a little while and it's already bugging me."

"It's so damn good having another Betazoid around who I can talk to about stuff like this," Deanna said smiling. "I sincerely hope that you don't decide to leave us."

"Thank you," Bailey replied, truly overwhelmed by the strength of Deanna's conviction.

"Especially if you do what you're planning to do," Deanna continued excitedly. "That would be so cool!"

Bailey looked at Deanna suspiciously. "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do," Deanna said mischievously. "I am not getting involved, although I have often thought about it myself. What are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to tell you," she pronounced, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh," Deanna moaned.

"Besides, I don't even know what I'm gonna do myself yet!" Bailey giggled.

Beverly waited in her quarters until the very last minute for Bailey's letter to arrive before heading to Jean-Luc's quarters for dinner. She wanted to know what was so important, that Bailey couldn't come to her and tell her in person. She knew she hadn't made it easy for her when Bailey had tried to speak with her just after they returned to the Enterprise a few days ago. But she had been hurting at the time and desperate to get back to her quarters and back to reality.

Jean-Luc's quarters, Beverly discovered, were laid out perfectly for seduction. She swallowed hard as she took a seat at the table and allowed him to push her chair in for her and pour her some of his best Château Picard vintage wine.

Beverly was extremely glad she had decided to dress herself up for the occasion, but admittedly had only really done so to try and alleviate her blues. She had always found self-pampering therapeutic.

During the meal, where they only exchanged the usual ships gossip, she frequently caught Jean-Luc gazing at her. It frustrated her that she couldn't tell whether it was love or just lust, or maybe the little black dress was too much?

She didn't dare herself to return his gazes or even acknowledge them; she was almost shaking and felt nauseas. She knew his intentions and knew she couldn't face them now, not feeling like this.

She didn't know how to explain the jumbled mesh of emotions flooding through her, and when they sat on the comfy lounge furniture, the intense uneasiness only escalated. One drink and she would leave.

Jean-Luc watched her hand shake as she lifted the tiny glass to her lips and down the cherry brandy in one. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.

Beverly's eyes darted in his direction, "Yes, I'm fine," she replied instantly.

"You seem a little on edge," he replied, a frown crowning his forehead.

"I'm just tired," she replied, forcing a reassuring smile.

"Beverly," he began, not noticing the panic in her eyes. "I…" his voice faltered. He had practiced this over and over in his head all day long, and now when it finally came to the crunch he couldn't do it!

"I'm sorry Jean-Luc," she said interrupting him. "I'm falling asleep here. I think I better call it a night."

Jean-Luc couldn't hide the disappointment in his expression. He dutifully got to his feet and showed her to the door like the true gentleman he was.

They stood face to face for a moment, neither one wanting the evitable eye contact. When their eyes met, Jean-Luc saw the fear deep within her soul and it shocked him. Without thinking his actions through, he lifted his hand and touched the side of her face.

Beverly instantly tensed and stopped breathing. "I…" now it was her turn to be lost for words, his palm felt electric against her cheek.

Jean-Luc seemed to be on a roller coaster ride of rashness, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Beverly jerked away from him; her expression told him she was totally stunned.

"I'm sorry," they both mumbled in unison.

Beverly bit on her bottom lip, trying to halt the flow of the tears burning the back of her eyes.

"I thought," Jean-Luc began. "I'm sorry."

"I should go," Beverly replied, finding her voice at last.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm making such a fool of myself," he said shaking his head in disgust.

"Just because I told you I was lonely," Beverly said, her temper suddenly taking a stand within her. "It doesn't mean I'm going to jump into bed with you! You know how vulnerable I am and you tried to use it to your advantage!"

"I didn't!" Jean-Luc cried as she stormed out of his quarters. He stared at the closed door for a second before dropping to his knees and pushing both his palms to his forehead. He didn't know how he could have been so wrong. Beverly wasn't the only one that felt overwhelming fear. He did too; he loved her so much. He had done for decades; he needed Beverly and knew that she needed him too.

Jean-Luc was desperately lonely too, he knew now that he should have confessed to her when she had opened her heart to him. But he couldn't bring himself to. He had never been good at expressing his emotions and now he may have lost Beverly for good.

Bailey ran all the way to deck twelve, not bothering to get dressed. This was far too important to think about modesty. She didn't care that she was only wearing a slinky white satin nightdress and nothing else.

She arrived just in time to see Beverly reach her quarters.

"Beverly!" Bailey yelled from the opposite end of the corridor.

Beverly jumped and turned to find her cousin, obviously in some distress rushing down the corridor in a near state of undress. "What's wrong?" Beverly asked, burying her aching heart deep within her.

"You have to go back!" Bailey said as she came to a stop beside her.

"Go back where?" Beverly asked in confusion.

"To the Captains quarters," she replied urgently. "You have to sort this out!"

Beverly began shaking her head, finally realising Bailey's intent and her mad dash from her quarters. "This is my business," she insisted.

"Oh for God sakes woman!" the younger redhead snapped. "I don't care what you're thinking he was thinking. Just go back!"

"No!" Beverly snapped and opened the doors to her quarters. To her surprise, Bailey grabbed her and pushed her against the wall.

"Give me one good reason why not!" Bailey cried, glaring at Beverly as she held her against the bulkhead.

"This is none of your business Bailey!" Beverly growled. "I'd thank you to take your hands off me!"

"You're being stupid!" Bailey persisted, not giving up her grip despite the glare that would have made a Klingon think twice about messing with the older redhead.

"Get off me!" Beverly yelled, trying to shake off Bailey's grip.

"Just listen to me for a second," Bailey said, trying tactful reasoning, she tightened her grip on Beverly's arms.

Beverly stopped struggling, and glared at Bailey. Tears were threatening to overwhelm her and she didn't want Bailey to see her crying. "What ever it is, I don't want to hear it!"

Bailey rolled her eyes. "That man back there and you are so damn stupid it's unbelievable!" Bailey snapped. "I can't believe the war of wills you are playing against each other. If only you knew what I knew!"

"What?" Beverly asked, despite herself.

Bailey released her grip, realising that she now had Beverly as a captive audience. "If you walk away now, you'll regret it."

"I've already walked away," Beverly replied through gritted teeth. "And I don't want to see that man for a long time."

"You're angry," Bailey stated.

"Aren't you just a clever little empath?" Beverly said sarcastically.

"I'm not empathic," Bailey replied sourly. "I'm telepathic and if you had actually listened to me the other day you would know that!"

"Bailey," Beverly began. "I'm tired right now, we can talk about anything you want to tomorrow morning at breakfast. I just want to go to bed now."

"You just want to go inside and cry," Bailey retorted. "I know what happened between you and the Captain after Kesprytt. I know he asked you to be with him. I know you said no and left him. You told me all of this yourself."

"So what?" Beverly replied, regretting doing so.

"How many years ago was that?" Bailey asked.

Beverly shook her head, "I'm not sure, seven or eight years I guess."

"Are you willing to wait that long for him to ask you again?" Bailey asked seriously. "Are you now willing to go through the awkward couple of years after he asked you again?"

"He didn't ask me anything tonight," Beverly stated.

"He was trying to," Bailey replied, watching Beverly's expressing intently.

"He was?" Beverly replied in amazement.

"Yes!" Bailey shook her head, "I know I shouldn't be telling you all of this. But until I have taken the 'How to be a Betazoid' class, I still have an excuse."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Beverly asked as she took Bailey's arm and tugging her inside her quarters as she heard voices coming from somewhere down the corridor heading their way.

The doors slid shut behind them, neither moved away from the threshold. "Remember you asked me whether he still loved you or not?"

"Yes," Beverly replied, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Well he most certainly does still love you," Bailey declared, a big grin on her face.

Beverly's heart filled to bursting at her cousin's words. "He does?" she asked, not quite believing her own ears.

Bailey nodded. "Of course he does you stupid woman!" she said laughing at Beverly's expense.

"I'm not stupid," Beverly replied, flopping down on the couch. A big goofy grin filled her face and she laughed.

"Well," Bailey said expectantly as she joined Beverly on the couch. "What are you going to do now?"

"Nothing," Beverly replied, her face falling.

"Come on Beverly!" Bailey said rolling her eyes.

"Bailey," Beverly warned in a low voice.

"I've just put my Betazoid heritage on the line for you," Bailey went on. "And now you are going to tell me to go away again and to mind my own damn business. Well I'm sorry; I'm as frustrated hell here! You must be too after Devon and if one of us doesn't have to feel so damn lonely, then one of us isn't!"

"I'm not ready!" Beverly yelled. She felt trapped and didn't like it one bit. Bailey was pushing her into doing something that she was not ready for.

"I know you aren't," Bailey replied, taking Beverly's hand. "But you can't leave it like this. You need to talk to him. Right now, he is thinking that you don't feel the same way about him as he does about you. He's telling himself to move on. If you don't go and speak to him now, it maybe too late."

Beverly ran a shaky hand through her hair. "I wouldn't know how to begin," she said, trying to find any excuse she could in hope that she didn't have to go back there.

"Listen to me," Bailey said slowly. "I know you've been hurt over and over again. That's what's keeping you from him."

"How did you get to be so wise?" Beverly asked, subtly trying to change the topic.

"I grew up too fast," Bailey replied softly. "Just go back to him. I'd hate to see this messed up because of your pride."

"Why hasn't he come to see me to sort it out?" Beverly asked.

"Because he feels like a fool," Bailey replied simply. "He's under the impression that you don't love him like that. He has thought that ever since Kesprytt actually. Which is probably why he's had other relationships with other women. He had no idea he was hurting you."

"He doesn't know I love him?" Beverly asked gazing off into the distance.

"Well not exactly," Bailey explained. "He knows you love and care for him as a friend. But he doesn't think you are physically attracted to him. He can't bring himself to believe that someone like you can find him sexy."

Beverly had to laugh at that. "That man is too damn sexy!"

"Go and tell him!" Bailey exclaimed.

"I can't!" Beverly cried. "I'm not ready!"

"Well go and tell him you're not ready!" Bailey snapped as she climbed to her feet and kept her grip on Beverly's hand. "Get up!"

Beverly felt herself get yanked to her feet and all the while she protested loudly. "Can't I tell him in the morning?" he was her last attempt to get out of what was bound to be a humiliating experience.

"Tell him now," Bailey replied, shoving her towards the door. "My mother always taught me not to sleep on an argument. It only stews and gets out of hand."

"But…"

"I'm not asking you to sleep with him for God sakes," Bailey continued. "Just get over there and tell him how you feel and that you aren't ready!"

Tears began falling down Beverly's face; she was shaking like mad and couldn't believe she was being forced into something she didn't want to do.

"It's for the best," Bailey reminded her as she left Beverly standing on the doorstep of Jean-Luc Picard's quarters moments later.

The doors slid open before Beverly even had a chance to ring the door chime. Obviously they hadn't been locked since she had left earlier.

Seconds later she spotted Jean-Luc sitting alone at the dinner table staring back at her.

Beverly swallowed hard and went inside, she didn't have a choice in the matter considering that Jean-Luc had already seen her.

"I…" she mumbled, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry," he said after he had got over the initial shock at seeing her again that night. "I was just wondering whether I should come and see you or not."

Beverly watched him climb to his feet and walk slowly towards her, no matter how hard she tried; she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"I wasn't trying to take advantage," he persisted and was about to go on when Beverly spoke up.

"I know," she replied softly.

"You do?" he replied, a lack of comprehension showing clearly on his handsome face. "It was just a good night kiss. I know you don't want anything more with me."

Beverly bit her bottom lip gently as she gazed into Jean-Luc's glassy eyes. She realised he was near to tears. She couldn't bear seeing him hurting like this. "I came to tell you…" she stopped to search for the right words. "I want you to know that I am in love with you Jean-Luc."

Jean-Luc blinked. "I… um…"

Beverly smiled at his lack of speech. It felt so damn good to finally say the words she had longed to for so many years. So she decided to say them again for good measure. "I am in love with you."

"Thank you!" he said happily, a huge smile lit up his face as if he were a small boy.

Beverly had to laugh. "You're welcome." Her Colgate smile faded as she looked at his joyous face. "But…"

Jean-Luc's face fell this instant she spoke again. "But what?" he asked as he saw her internal struggle to find the right words.

"I'm not ready," she mumbled, imploring him to understand with her sky blue eyes.

Jean-Luc sighed and turned away, his shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Will you ever be?" he asked in a defeated voice.

Beverly sighed softly and her heart went out to him. She moved towards him and run her hand across his shoulders as she turned him to face her again. "I will someday. Just give me time and I'll be ready."

Jean-Luc nodded, pursing his lips together. At least he knew now that his wait that seemed everlasting would not be in vain. Someday he knew she would let him love her. "Any idea of the time scale?" he quipped.

Beverly swatted him on his arm and laughed. "Just give me a chance will you!"

"A week? A month? A year?" he asked, laughing with mirth.

Beverly shrugged. "Lets just see okay?" she replied. "Don't you dare fall in love with some alien in the meantime. I'm serious Jean-Luc."

"Aye sir," he replied. "You've made me a very happy man Beverly."

Beverly smiled warmly at him. "Jean-Luc?" she asked softly. "Can I have a hug?"

Jean-Luc smiled in delight and pulled her into his embrace. "You can have anything you want from me. It's always been so."

Beverly hugged him back, he felt so good in her arms. It was like she was home, safe and sound. They stayed like that, in the comfort of each others arms for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to let go of the moment.

Reluctantly Beverly pulled back. "I really should go now," she said softly, not daring herself to stay any longer.

Jean-Luc nodded. "You will come by for breakfast won't you?"

"I certainly will," she replied, dropping a sweet kiss, full of promise on to his waiting lips.

She let go of his hands and went to the door. "Goodnight," she wished him.

"You'll let me know when you're ready won't you?" he asked, not moving from the middle of the living room.

End of part eight 


	9. Chapter 9

Dvorovoi Part Nine

By Karen Page

Beverly smiled, butterflies lurching in her stomach. "Lets just say you'll know as soon I do."

Jean-Luc seemed satisfied with that and she breezed out of his quarters and headed back to her own smiling. Everything was off her chest and out in the open and it was all thanks to her downright annoying know it all cousin. This particular cousin was waiting inside her quarters when she arrived home one minute later.

"How did it go?" Bailey asked, practically bouncing around.

"You already seem to know," Beverly replied with a smile.

"I want to hear it in words," Bailey persisted.

"It was fine," the doctor replied as she took off her shoes and sank down on the end of her bed.

Bailey followed her into her bedroom. "Just fine? Don't you feel better for it?"

"I guess so," she replied, her pride just would not allow her to say thank you.

"He won't pressure you if that's what your worried about," Bailey said sitting down next to Beverly on the bed.

"I know he won't," Beverly replied. "He's too much of a gentleman."

"And now you aren't alone anymore are you?" Bailey asked happily. "You know he'll always be there for you."

Beverly missed the hidden meaning in Bailey's words. She didn't realise Bailey needed to talk to someone about what she was going through, she was too preoccupied with thoughts of Jean-Luc.

"What is going to make you feel ready?" Bailey asked, after Beverly remained mute.

"I don't know," she replied.

Beverly might not have known, but Bailey did. She knew that all Jean-Luc needed to do was to grab Beverly and kiss her and all her fears and hesitations would be a forgotten and distant memory. She said goodnight to Beverly and headed home wondering how in the universe she could get Jean-Luc Picard to realise this as well.

Beverly woke up the next morning to find the letter from Bailey in her message box. She sat down at the monitor and read it whilst brushing her hair.

It was a very long letter and she was shocked and disgusted by the real facts. Tears of sorrow welled in her eyes for her cousin and she was angry with herself for not paying the slightest bit of attention to the youngsters needs.

She was amazed to discover that Bailey was no longer a member of the crew and was trying to decide what to do with the rest of her life.

Throwing on her uniform, Beverly went to meet Jean-Luc for breakfast.

"I can't stay," she said quickly as she grabbed a quick cup of coffee and a croissant.

Jean-Luc looked a little disappointed. "Something come up?" he asked.

"I just found out all about Devon and the Dvorovoi and what he did to Bailey," she replied. She shook her head sadly. "I had no idea. I wouldn't speak to anyone. I wouldn't even speak to my own family. I was being too selfish and thinking of myself."

"Beverly," he began. "After what you went through, no one is blaming you for anything."

"You don't understand Jean-Luc," she insisted.

"What do you mean?"

"If it wasn't for Bailey," she explained running an agitated hand through her hair. "I would never have come back here last night and explained myself to you. She made me come back here and speak with you. She was very insistent."

Jean-Luc looked shocked. "Bailey did?"

"Yes," she replied. "She told me I was a stupid woman and sent me right on back here to apologise for the fight."

Jean-Luc couldn't help but laugh. "I really like that cousin of yours."

"Me too," Beverly replied, downing her coffee. "Which is why I feel so bad. I didn't even know she had resigned from Starfleet."

"She did that on our way to rescue you," he replied. "We all decided that it wasn't a Starfleet mission. Deanna and I resumed our careers as soon as we left the planet, but so far Bailey hasn't. She hasn't submitted a formal letter of resignation so as far as Starfleet is concerned, she is on sick leave."

"I don't think Bailey knows that," Beverly replied brightening. "Anyway I am going to see her now. We need to sort all this out. I need to find someway to make up for all the stress I caused her by ignoring her."

"Good luck," Jean-Luc called as she breezed out of his quarters to start the day. Beverly Crusher seemed to work like a whirlwind sometimes and he chuckled to himself as he continued to eat his breakfast.

Beverly went straight inside Bailey's quarters when she arrived to find Bailey sobbing her heart out in bed.

Bailey knew she was coming, she had sensed Beverly reading the letter that morning. Sensing Beverly's grief over what had happened brought Bailey's feelings to the surface from where she had buried them deep within her.

Beverly sat down on the edge of the bed and immediately Bailey fell into her arms and buried her head in Beverly's lap as she cried.

"I'm so sorry," Beverly cooed stroking Bailey's soft red hair. "I am a stupid woman aren't I?"

"Yes," Bailey nodded.

"I just don't understand why nobody saw fit to tell me before," Beverly whispered gently.

"Because they were scared of you," Bailey replied, lifting her face. "Us Howard women can be a bit ferocious when we want to be."

"We can also bury our own emotions deep inside," Beverly said softly. "Even though it's bad for us. We are too proud to admit our weaknesses or show our vulnerability."

"Maybe we can make a stand for all the Howard women," Bailey whispered.

Beverly smiled. "We should," she said.

"Even after all that Devon did to me," Bailey sniffed. "I miss him. I know it's horrible, but I do."

"It's very understandable," Beverly reassured her. "He was for all intents and purposes your best friend and your lover."

"I'm so lonely," she cried, tears returning once again. "I don't want to leave here. I wanna stay here with you."

"You can sweetheart," Beverly said softly. "No one is telling you that you have to leave. You're on sick leave from Starfleet, you haven't resigned."

"I haven't?" Bailey lifted her head once again. "I'm confused."

"You have to submit a letter of resignation to resign from Starfleet," Beverly explained. "You haven't. So Jean-Luc put you on sick leave."

Beverly stayed with Bailey for over an hour, talking through everything. When she left that morning, she was confident that Bailey was going to stay onboard and resume her duties. Her personal recovery was going to take more work, but Beverly was very willing to help in whatever way Bailey wanted her to.

Bailey was surprised when she received a visit from the Captain a few hours later.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he took a seat on the couch.

"Better now that Beverly and I are on speaking terms," Bailey smiled softly as she handed him a cup of earl grey.

"I came by to thank you for what you said to Beverly last night," he said, feeling brave enough to come right out and speak his thoughts. "It means a lot to me."

"It's no problem," Bailey replied. "Truth is, I can't sleep when Beverly is upset. I still haven't mastered the art of mental blocking."

Jean-Luc laughed with her and then fell silent. He desperately wanted to ask her about Beverly, but his pride wouldn't let him.

Bailey listened to his thoughts and a smile spread across her pretty face. Jean-Luc frowned at her, wondering why she was grinning.

"Take her in your arms," Bailey said in a low whisper. "And kiss her passionately. If she resists it won't be too long before she stops struggling."

Jean-Luc's eyes widened at the spoken answer to his unasked question. "Um… thank you," he muttered.

"No worries," she replied grinning. "It will work. Trust me, she's just being stupid with this not being ready thing. She has been ready for years. She just didn't know whether you still felt the same way about her."

Jean-Luc stayed as long as it took him to drink his tea before he headed down to sickbay. He found Beverly in her office alone and closed the doors, thankful that the blinds were already drawn.

Beverly looked at his determined face when he walked straight in and closed the door behind him and wondered if something was wrong. She got to her feet instantly and faced him as he rounded the table.

To her surprise he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately, Beverly pushed her hands against his chest and tried in vain to push him away. His kiss deepened and he invaded her mouth with his tongue as he moulded her body against his. Ten seconds later, Beverly gave in and kissed him back. All conscious control now gone, her body took over and she enfolded him in her arms, their bodies pressed tightly together. It was a very long kiss and both gasped for air when they surfaced. They rested their foreheads together as they panted to catch their breaths. 

"Are you ready yet?" Jean-Luc asked as he cupped her face in one hand, gently stroking her ear.

"I want you…" she breathed gazing deep into his eyes.

"Meet me in your quarters in ten minutes," Jean-Luc said quickly, "Make an excuse or something, but be there."

Beverly nodded, incoherent thoughts rushing through her. She watched Jean-Luc disappear and calmed herself down before heading out into sickbay to leave a do not disturb message with a nurse before rushing to her quarters to meet her would be lover.

Jean-Luc was already there when she arrived, the ten-minute delay had been agonising for them both. Jean-Luc grabbed her and swung her into his arms the moment she walked through the doors. Their lips met once again in a searing kiss.

Suddenly he felt something hard and solid against his back and opened his eyes to see hers peering wickedly into his. She had pushed him against the bulkhead and as her mouth pulled away from his, her hand travelled down. He gasped as she stroked him firmly through his uniform her eyes shimmered mischievously. She tore her lips from his and moved to his neck where she began ravishing his sensitive skin, nipping with her teeth. He shuddered as her hands gripped his shoulders, fingernails digging in, her lips and teeth moving along his neck, now at his ear, her breath hot against his skin. "For someone who wasn't ready last night…" Jean-Luc muttered Beverly silenced him with her lips. "You started it," he heard her whisper. She started tugging at his uniform; he could see the urgency in her eyes. He wanted for their first time to be slow and tender, but one look at the woman in front of him, told him that she wanted anything but. Taking her by the shoulders, he turned her away from him, ignoring her quiet protest, and then pulled her back so she rested against him. He ran his hands over her hips and up her torso, brushing the sides of her breasts as he kissed her neck. "Riker to Picard." Both officers groaned in unison. "Picard here," Jean-Luc replied. "Sir, we have a situation," Riker stated. "On my way Number One," Jean-Luc said, squeezing Beverly's shoulders affectionately. "Picard out." "Damn it!" Beverly cursed, her chest heaving. "Don't go anywhere," Jean-Luc called as he headed towards the doors. "I'll be as quick as I can." The 'situation' took a little longer that Jean-Luc had anticipated to sort out, two hours to be precise. Standing inside the turbo lift he asked the computer for Beverly's location and was pleased to find that she hadn't gone anywhere as instructed. Letting himself into Beverly's quarters, he found her lying on her back on the bed still in her black uniform with her sock covered feet resting on the wall above the headboard. She turned her head and looked at him when he appeared in the bedroom doorway. "I'm back," he replied, smiling at her. "So I can see," she replied. "It took a little longer than I expected," he continued. "But we are both off duty now, so there won't be anymore disturbances." "That was a dirty trick you played on me Jean-Luc," Beverly said evenly as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You think one kiss is going to get me to sleep with you? Well I'm telling you now, that I am still not ready." "You aren't," he said slowly, silently cursing the Ferengi that caused the situation up on the bridge. "No I am not," she replied. "I told you only last night that I would tell you when I was ready and I don't know what you were playing at earlier, but it wasn't fair." Jean-Luc sighed softly. "I am truly sorry," he replied gently. "I accept your apology," she replied simply. "It better not happen again. Don't go using my physical attraction to you to your advantage." Jean-Luc had to smile at that. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. "I think we need to talk over our boundaries." "Be my guest," she replied, thanking whoever was listening that she finally was able to speak to Jean-Luc frankly about their relationship without freaking out. Jean-Luc took off his boots and laid on his back beside her; resting his feet on the wall above the headboard too. "Where do we start?" he asked. Beverly shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "Well maybe I should start by explaining something," he said, staring up at the ceiling above Beverly's bed. Somehow he hadn't imagined being clothed when he thought about staring at the ceiling above her bed. "Go ahead," she replied, smiling softly for the first time since he had returned. "You remember last night?" he asked, turning to face her. "Of course I do," she replied. "You told me that you were lonely," he began softly watching Beverly's face fall at the memory. "You said you didn't like coming home here night after night and having no one here waiting for you." Beverly nodded, biting on her bottom lip. "I said a lot last night didn't I?" "I feel the same way Beverly," he admitted. "I am lonely too. I have no one to come home to, nobody to share the nights with. I don't have close friends like you do. I have to keep a distance from the crew, have to be the stoic Captain. You are the only one I talk to and feel comfortable enough to be myself with. I can really laugh with you. You are the one person in the universe that can make me feel like a man and not just the Captain of the Federation's flagship. That is one of the reasons I love you so much. I don't love you because you are beautiful, I love you because you are you." Beverly's eyes filled with tears at his words. "I love you too," she replied, trying to rein in her torrent emotions. Jean-Luc smiled at her, tears filling his own eyes. "I have been in love with you most of my life, even when it seemed like I wasn't. Even when I was involved with other women, you were always there. I was trying to find you in someone else, but none of them came anywhere near you. So I just gave up trying and decided that I'd be better off living the rest of my life alone, hoping that someday you would love me in return." "I did," she whispered, wiping away the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I do. Its so strong Jean-Luc," she whispered. "That's what I'm afraid of. If I give my love for you a… free rein, I'd fall so deep that I'm scared of what I'd do if something happened to you." "Beverly," he whispered, reaching over her pulled her to him and hugged her. "I feel exactly the same way about you." "You do?" she asked shocked. Jean-Luc nodded and kissed her temple. "But," he said softly. "I also know that it would hurt me just the same if something happened to you before you told me you loved me yesterday as it would if we were together." Beverly sniffed and looked at him through glazed eyes. "Really?" she asked like a small child. "Really," he assured her. "In fact I think it would be worse. There would be so many regrets because I never got to share my life with you. I would never know what it would be like to wake up with you in the morning. I wouldn't even know what you looked like in the morning!" he teased. Beverly smiled, "I look immaculate," she assured him. "I'll believe it when I see it!" he laughed. Beverly laughed with him, then suddenly turned her head and caught his lips with her own. The laughter died instantly, followed by a low rumble from his chest as Beverly's passionate kiss took over. She moved over him, never breaking the contact of their kiss and Jean-Luc brought his hand up and entangled it in her hair, the other ran across her back. "I'm ready," she breathed, pulling away from him to gaze into his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she replied, with a wicked grin. "And you are sure I'm not using your physical attraction to me as an unfair advantage?" he laughed as she slapped his chest playfully. "Stop being cheeky Jean-Luc," she warned, pouting her lips. "Or I will change my mind." He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek as he stared up into her beautiful blue eyes. She smiled down at him, watching the emotions playing out on his face. "Is it just me," she whispered softly. "Or do you feel… nervous too?" "I do," he replied, giving her one of his rare smiles. "It feels… weird," she added, relieved that he was feeling the same way. "We've been friends for so long… and we are about to do something we've never done before. Well not together at least." Jean-Luc nodded his understanding. "Are you ready now?" he asked again. "Or do you want to wait?" Jean-Luc could see, even if Beverly couldn't, that she wasn't ready. He could see her trying to will herself into becoming ready, when she clearly wasn't. "I…" her voice trailed off and she frowned at him slightly. "I'm so sorry Jean-Luc," she replied softly. "I know I may have gone through with it earlier…" Jean-Luc gazed up at her as she spoke, watching her eyes fill with tears. "It's okay," he said gently. Beverly shook her head and the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I do love you," she whispered. "Its… what happened to me… with Devon." "Beverly," he whispered back, hugging her to him. "I can't begin to imagine what you are going through." "Even though," she began, "Even though I gave into him, every time he touched me. I didn't want it. He had power over me." Jean-Luc kissed her temple as she buried her face in his neck. "I can wait as long as you like," he whispered softly. "I won't let you be lonely," she replied lifting her head and looking into his eyes. "I want to be with you all the time. Now we know how we feel about each other, there isn't anything stopping me from staying the night." Jean-Luc smiled. "I would love that," he said in a dreamy voice. "You can finally see what I look like first thing in the morning," she said with a quick smile. "Just to be able to hold you is enough for me," he whispered softly. "Same here," she replied softly. "I might see my way clear for a few kisses along the way too," she giggled. "Great!" he exclaimed happily. Beverly smiled at him. "When I'm ready Jean-Luc," she said wickedly. "You'd better be ready or you won't know what's hit you! I'll be a woman possessed! I'll make you wish you were twenty years old again! I have a good fifteen years of no sex to make up for!"Jean-Luc smiled at her, knowing that although she smiled back, the sadness in her eyes was what he noticed first. Just knowing how badly she was hurting inside, made him feel near to tears himself. He knew it was going to be a rough ride ahead and was totally and utterly determined to see it through until the end. The End 

You might be pleased to know that the sequel is ALL FINISHED! I'll be posting it later this month J


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